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Word Search

Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 2:28 pm
by brogine
Anyone know a word - I haven’t had any luck with reverse dictionaries - for ‘deliberate mispronunciation,’ - as for comedic or emotive effect? (Or ‘deliberate use of incorrect grammar,’ either.)
I’m thinking of some very effective examples.
I think such rhetorical devices may go back a long way, and might have had labels attached.

Re: Word Search

Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 3:21 pm
by Slava
It's not exact, but spoonerism comes to mind. The original wasn't intentional, but nearly anything you see nowadays called one, is.

Re: Word Search

Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2023 11:59 pm
by Audiendus
Also, is there a word for deliberate misspelling in commercial names, e.g. 'Quik Kleen', 'Eezi Stick', '[Baked] Beanz', 'Lo Cost'?

Re: Word Search

Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:12 am
by Slava
I forgot all about the other word for word mangling; malapropism (here, here, and here).

Spoonerism on the Agora can be found here and here.

As to Audiendus' query, I've seen adspeak used. Does that work?

Re: Word Search

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2024 10:31 pm
by Audiendus
As to Audiendus' query, I've seen adspeak used. Does that work?
'Adspeak' is a more general term, referring to advertising jargon, clichés etc.

But I have found the answer! Wikipedia calls deliberate misspelling 'sensational spelling':

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensational_spelling

Re: Word Search

Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 2:11 am
by brogine
That is quite interesting, but we’re still missing its vocal cousin. Closer, but no cigars yet. I’ve just found this ‘obsolete’ word in the OED: missounding, ‘Erroneous or uneuphonious sounding (of music, words, etc.),’ which could include intentional application.

Re: Word Search

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:36 pm
by brogine
It's not exact, but spoonerism comes to mind. The original wasn't intentional, but nearly anything you see nowadays called one, is.
I’m remembering the very clever Two Ronnies, from BBC television.
Wordplay-based humor I always found so much funnier than Monty Python, and way better than Rowan Atkinson or Benny Hill. They got off hilarious routines based on ‘naughty’ spoonerisms. They can be seen on YouTube.