Anyone any ideas where I can find out whether the word flutterby really was the original word for butterfly? Thanks
Mary

Compact Oxford website doesn't mention it, and has no entry for "flutterby":

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/butterfly?view=uk

Maybe if you go to the library and have a look at a Complete OED there might be more info ?

Out of interest, what makes you think this is true ?

I think flutterby is a much better word anyway, what does butter have to do with such beautiful winged insects?

Katerina

Thanks I have checked every dictionary, but was hoping for the impossible really and that there was a book on words that had suffered a metathesis, which I didn't know about!
Regards
Mary

Sorry Griff I forgot to answer your question. I seem to remember hearing it as a small child; my mother was always a mine of interesting informtion but sadly is no longer alive to help me out. See you always need your mother!
Mary

Hi Mary,

Have a bash on google with "butterfly etymology"

You'll get stuff like this.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff, had tried that, but nothing is giving me the answer I want to hear!! Just csn't come to terms with the fact my mother got it wrong ...... more than the fact that I will have to re-write a page of text! It seemed such a lovely origin, can't believe it's wrong; see I just can't let go!
Mary

Well I never knew about Metathesis before ! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metathesis_%28linguistics%29)

Thanks Mary!

what does butter have to do with such beautiful winged insects

Apparently the German word for butterfly translates as 'milk-thief', based on the notion that butterflies would fly into kitchens and land on uncovered milk/butter.

Isn't is just one of those rare spoonerisms that works.

I got this from Wikipedia:

In modern terms, a spoonerism is any changing of sounds in this manner. While simple enough to do, a clever spoonerism is one that results in a funny phrase or sentence. "Flutterby" is an oft-cited example of a spoonerism that has not lost its original meaning.

My own favourite was Kenny Everette's character, Cupid Stunt. How did he ever get away with that?

Colin M

Indeed. And while it seems a shame to drag the level of the conversation down from metathesis and the beauty of butterflies, I do smile to see the rare occasions where the phrase "shining wit" is used without irony.

Do people do spoonerisms in other languages or is it peculiar to English, I wonder ?

Colin I once watched a show about Kenny Everett that said the original name he wanted for Cupid Stunt was Mary Hinge but TV bosses wouldn't let him

I wonder how far he got before they realised it was a spoonerism.

Hee hee I just love the Kenny Everett character. I thought that guy was so funny, and it's amazing how he got away with so much.

I know its not a spoonerism, but it made me laugh the other day when I read something with the character name of Miss Tess Tickles.

Katerina

TV execs have obviously become a lot more streetwise since the days when the writers of Captain Pugwash could get names such as Roger The Cabin Boy and Seaman Stains under the radar.
Tony