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Spoonerisms

Spoonerisms (named after Dr Spooner, who used lots of them) are reversal of initial letters of two or more words for comic effect. For example-

cake bar becomes bake car.

Spoonerisms are best when they change from one sensible form to another sensible form, although some that become nonsense can still sound funny. For example-

good night becomes nood gight. This is particularly effective sprung on a small child when they are not expecting it.

Spoonerisms often sound better than in their written form; for example-

pea and ham (as in soup) becomes hea and pam!

Here are 10 things to spoonerise.

• Pot noodle
• peas and carrots
• dust buster
• morse code
• cat flap (move fl)
• mobile phone
• tot of rum
• hazel nuts
• jelly beans
• snack pot.

Send your own spoonerisms to me at captainpegglegg@btinternet.com and I will compile a page of the better ones.

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