Just wondering (re: "busghetti")

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Tue Jan 2 16:19:47 UTC 2007


At 6:15 AM -0800 1/2/07, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>Is "flutterby" a functioning "word" or just the pleasant result of
>paranomasia ?  I remember it from childhood, but only as a curiosity.

--one that's alive and well in the realms of etymythology; a
commercial currently airing on NYC radio (at least on WFAN) informs
us in their passel of "Did you know?" tidbits that "butterfly" was
originally "flutterby"

LH

>
>   OED doesn't have it.
>
>   JL
>
>Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU> wrote:
>   ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Charles Doyle
>Subject: Re: Just wondering (re: "busghetti")
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>The common juvenile metathesis "flutterby" for "butterfly" would
>seem to result from an etymological assumption. "Busghetti," though,
>appears to reflect some phonological difficulty with the consonant
>cluster?
>
>My (barely) 2-year-old grandson is afraid of [neks]. I can't decide
>whether he fails to hear the initial /s/ or is just unable to
>articulate it.
>
>--Charlie
>___________________________________________________
>
>---- Original message ----
>>Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2007 21:01:23 -0600
>>From: Victoria Neufeldt
>>Subject: Re: Just wondering (re: "busghetti")
>>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>>
>>The fact that there are so many children who say something like this (and
>>have been doing so for at least the last 20 years) has made me wonder if it
>>might not be something they pick up in school, or even as early as
>>daycare -- perhaps it's used in a story they hear, or a song. I haven't
>>asked any teachers about this -- just an idle thought. But when you hear
>>them say it, it's still as cute as it ever was! I am now resisting adding
>>other interesting childish versions of words and expressions.
>>
>>Victoria
>>
>>Victoria Neufeldt
>>Editor, DSNA Newsletter
>>727 9th Street East
>>Saskatoon, Sask.
>>S7H 0M6
>>Canada
>>Tel: (306) 955-8910
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Jonathan Lighter"
>>To:
>>Sent: Monday, January 01, 2007 6:37 PM
>>Subject: Re: Just wondering
>>
>>
>>>
>>>  I know a seven-year old who always says "busghetti."
>>>
>>>  JL
>
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