Sunday, July 22nd: And a half-warmed fish for you too; today is SPOONER’S DAY. Today celebrates the man famous for the slip of the tongue, Reverend William Archibald Spooner. Born in London, July 22, 1844, Dr. Spooner was a scholarly and prominent figure of the time. He was warden of New College, Oxford from 1903-1924. Here we are, eighty years after his death (August 29, 1930) finding a reason to celebrate from Dr. Spooner’s slip-of-the-tongues. His frequent mishaps with the spoken word led to the term spoonerism to describe them. Some of his slips gave us blushing crow (for crushing blow), tons of soil (for sons of toil), queer old dean (for dear old queen), swell foop (for fell swoop) and half-warmed fish (for half-formed wish).
So, off to celebrate, and mind your words today.
Trisha Faye 