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William Archibald Spooner

(1844-1930), Warden of New College, Oxford and originator of the term 'Spoonerism'

Sitter in 8 portraits
William Spooner was educated at New College, Oxford; he remained at the college for more than sixty years, serving as fellow (1867), lecturer (1868), tutor (1869), dean (1876-89), and warden (1903-30). He lectured on ancient history, divinity, and philosophy, especially Aristotle's ethics. Spooner is best known for the verbal slip named after him, the Spoonerism, where parts of words are switched. Many of the phrases attributed to him are apocryphal however.

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