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Metathesis is a phonological process by which two circant (adjacent or near-adjacent) [[phone]]s (or sounds) switch places. Despite its strange definition, metathesis is a fairly common phenomenon in historical sound changes observed in [[linguistics]].
==Examples==
A historical example is the development of the english word "wolf" from the [[Indo-European]] root LUP:
LUP > ULP > ULF > WOLF
The first sound change is metathesis of U and L, the second is [[labial]] [[spirantization]] (occurred in Germanic languages, compare with Lat. ''pater'' to Germ. ''vater''), and the last change U > WO was common in the shift from Old German to Old English. Interestingly, the metathesis here is thought to be motivated by superstitions that naming a wolf by its "true name" LUP would bring bad luck. It is an example of [[taboo]] language.
Examples in modern English are exhibited in both infantile and [[urban English]]. For example, "aminal" for "animal," "enemy" for "emeny," "pasghetti" for "spaghetti," and "aks" for "ask."
[[Category:Linguistics]]