What Is A Spoonerism?

[allanmcgee]

Typical Pasqual,

1 across is not a spoonerism? lintol and lentil do not fit the definition of a spoonerism in any dictionary I have found.

[hc4361]

What's the clue?

[dannyk13]

I agree.

[writesbad]

surely lintel?

[jourdain2]

The most used definition of a Spoonerism is 'I hissed a mystery lesson'. Transposition of start letters, but 'y' is used instead of 'i' when written. Hope it helps.

[dannyk13]

5a.Beam over window for Spooner(5)

[jourdain2]

^^^ Sorry, 'example of'.

[Mamyalynne]

Lentil is what you need for the grid.

[kvalidir]

It's lintel- so lentil for the answer :)

[dannyk13]

How is lentil a Spoonerism of lintel?

[dannyk13]

Normally a Spoonerism requires at least two words.

[hc4361]

That's an anagram, not a spoonerism

[writesbad]

Spoonerisms are usually transpositions of the initial consonant sounds, but sometimes it can be vowels, as in:
it is kistomary to cuss the bride
(See metathesis)

[kiddlytivey2]

This is Guardian and today there are 10 undefined ones. So lentil is indeed right and is none of the things that a 13 across might be interested in.

[Prudie]

It's quite frustrating for those who haven't done the crossword to follow how this works. Obviously lentil is correct from above but why? Are the unclued answers vegetables or what? What is 13 across relevance? Finally I'd say lentil for lintel is not a spoonerism, malapropism maybe.

[Mamyalynne]

13a Bean Counter

10 other clues are related to 13a and are undefined.

I agree it's a poor clue.

[writesbad]

Hi Prudie
I haven't see the crossword, either
Most Spoonerisms are apocryphal. Apparently the only one the Rev Spooner acknowledged was in the words of a hymn, when he said
Cinquering Kongs for Conquering Kings - a vowel transposition, as in lintel and lentil...

[kvalidir]

Yes, quite so, although Spoonerisms traditionally include two words I see no reason it cannot occur within a single word itself and the fact it's also an anagram is irrelevant really.

[Prudie]

You know clearly it's lentil and have no interest in disagreeing but for the uninitiated every definition of a spoonerism online is along the lines of "a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words (as in tons of soil for sons of toil)"

[dannyk13]

Kvalidir
//no reason it cannot occur within a single word itself//. Can you explain what th Spoonerism is in the word Lintel to give lentil?

[Mamyalynne]

Obvious;y someone felt they had to define them clearly as he never had, but it still gives setters the scope to play games with them - and they do.