ATCs: Spoonerisms

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
by Diane Pineschi

Ever have those moments when your brain thinks faster than your mouth can speak? Or your tongue gets tangled around your eye tooth and you can't see what you're saying?

Well, that's sort of how spoonerisms—errors in speech (unintentionally or purposely) where initial consonants, vowels or parts of two words are switched—were born. The term is named after William Archibald Spooner, who was prone to this linguistic mix-up. Often, a spoonerism results in a play on words of a comical nature so they can bring an unexpected chuckle or smile.

"Spoonerisms" was the theme for the FiberAntics December ATC swap and is indeed a light-hearted way to wrap up the year. Here are the ATC artists' rendition of these humorous twists of the tongue. Enjoy… and it's OK to laugh out loud.

"He's a smart fella" (or a fart smella)
by Marilyn League

"A Blushing Crow" (A crushing blow)
by Cathy Dillon

"The thlot pickens…" (The plot thickens...)
by Bonnie Stevens

Next up are two versions of the same spoonerism.

"Sew me to my sheet." (Show me to my seat.)
by Karen Downer

"Let me sew you to your sheet." (Let me show you to your seat.)
by Veronica Hofman-Ortega

"Look Ma… it's a hen of tarts!!!" (a ten of hearts)
by Liz Armstrong

She called me all excited about her new "Mump Deals" (Dump Meals) cook book.
by Debbie Joyner

"Runny Babbit," a Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein
by Dawn Spagna

"Honey, you just went through a Lead Right (red light)"
by Sharon Griffith

So, as we wind down 2015, thanks to all the participating ATC artists for the giggles, grins and especially the art. Enjoy the holidays, and in the words of George Carlin, "Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."