spoonerism

Where does the word "spoonerism" come from? It comes from English Spooner, and was adopted directly into English (1900).

Spoonerism’s story begins in English: Spooner meant “a family name.” William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), Warden of New College, Oxford, was famed for slips like 'Kinquering Congs their titles take'; most others credited to him were invented by undergraduates. It reached English by 1900 as spoonerism. Oxford slang for swapping the initial sounds of words, recorded from about 1900. Today, spoonerism means an accidental swap of the initial sounds of two words.

1. Stage 1 · English · 1880s Spooner "a family name", William Archibald Spooner (1844-1930), Warden of New College, Oxford, was famed for slips like 'Kinquering Congs their titles take'; most others credited to him were invented by undergraduates.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1900 spoonerism "sound-swapping slip", Oxford slang for swapping the initial sounds of words, recorded from about 1900.