[Ads-l] Children's speech errors; 3 examples

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Gerald Cohen wrote:
> For some time I've been collecting examples of children's
> misinterpretations of words or phrases whose meaning are
> beyond  their comprehension. . . .
>
> "flutterfly" -- A grandfather told me his 4 year old granddaughter
>       says this for "butterfly."
> ...
> And give the children credit: Imho "flutterfly" makes more sense than
>      "butterfly,"

There is a Wikitionary entry for the closely related "flutterby"
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/flutterby

[Begin excerpt]
Etymology
Spoonerism (eggcorn) of butterfly.
Noun
flutterby (plural flutterbies)
 (childish) A butterfly.
[End excerpt]

"flutterby" is not in the OED. "flutterby" is mentioned in an article
on Grammarphobia, the website of Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart
Kellerman.

Garson

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org