Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ptsfb.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!qantel!ptsfa!ptsfb!rob From: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) Newsgroups: net.nlang Subject: Re: Pet Peeves Message-ID: <256@ptsfb.UUCP> Date: Sun, 10-Nov-85 10:45:58 EST Article-I.D.: ptsfb.256 Posted: Sun Nov 10 10:45:58 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 11-Nov-85 06:40:43 EST References: <747@cyb-eng.UUCP> <1900005@datacube.UUCP> Reply-To: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo) Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco Lines: 25 In article <644@spar.UUCP> ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) writes: >>How about "nuclear" pronounced "noo-que-lur", as if spelled "noocuulur"? >> - David Schachter > > Phonetically, this is a simple swapping of two adjacent consonants: > > nuclear /nuwkl0y0r/ vs nucular? /nuwky0l0r/ > > ..which puts it in the same category as errors like > > relevant /rel0v0nt/ vs revelant? /rev0l0nt/ > > I believe this phonetic error is called `metathesis'. Yes, it is called metathesis. But in the case of 'nucular', there is another explanation, that is, a mistaken reanalysis with the suffix '-ular', cf. 'ocular'. The same appears in a slightly different form with 'esculator'. Another example of metathesis that I believe is particular to certain socio-economic strata (and perhaps geographic area) in New York City is 'jewlery' for 'jewelry'. An example of metathesis that occured that is considered acceptable but is still not reflected in the spelling is the word 'comfortable' pronounced as 'comfterble'.