My last post got me thinking about the times I've made the similar error of switching the first letter of two words. My nephew's Parry Hotter, for Harry Potter, is an example. It turns out there is an honest-to-God term for this: it's called a spoonerism, also known as a marrowski. I usually do this with the names of a couple or siblings. It causes an interesting reaction every time I've done it, and I always come off sounding like an idiot.
My most embarrassing incident was when I was leaving a voice mail at a spa, requesting a waxing service. I was mid-message when I committed a spoonerism, asking for an appointment to 'brax my wows'. Startled by my mistake, I started punching the # and * keys, hoping that the voice mail would allow me to re-record my message.
No such luck. My only choice was to pretend it didn't happen, so I resorted to starting over in the middle of my own message, supplying my own beep! and my intended message asking for a brow wax.
When the aesthetician returned my call, she had a little laugh about it - but I know she secretly thinks I'm a nut job. It's all good.
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