Quote:

Well, metathesis is rather easy to look up. And, for those who are not about to click, here's a short definition: "Transposition within a Wword of letters, sounds, or syllables, as in the change from Old English brid to modern English bird or in the confusion of modren for modern." [A-H] As nearly anybody can see from that quoted definition, metathesis it ain't.



What is it, then, Nuncle? As I suggested in my first post, "metathesis" may be too specific for what Max wants, since there's no switching of consecutive sounds involved. Or has the term become somewhat broader these days, AHD notwithstanding? In which case your subtle subject line would indeed be an example thereof? Huh? Huh??

(I kinda like "anticipatory assimilation" my own sef)