Antedating of "Spoonerism"

[Stephen Goranson]

Quoting "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>:

> Spoonerism (OED 1900)
>
> 1896 _Windsor Magazine_ Jan. 566 (British Periodicals)  The genial
> public orator (Dr. Merry), the author of many a Spoonerism, brightens
> things up now and again with his witticisms.

The proofs were there; they could be seen;
  It drove me nigh to pessimism,
This fruit of lawless rights between
  A _Malaprop_ and Spoonerism!

Punch, April 7, 1894, p.166 col. 3.

Stephen Goranson
http://www.duke.edu/~goranson

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