METATHESIS

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METATHESIS [Stress: ‘me-TA-the-sis’]. The transposition of elements of language, usually two sounds and/or letters in a word: Old English bridd becoming Modern English bird, Middle English Manisk becoming Modern English Manx. Non-standard aks in Don't aks me metathesizes standard ask. Compare SLIP OF THE TONGUE, SPOONERISM.

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