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Metathesis

Sound
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The transposition of sounds or letters in a word, either accidental or used deliberately for effect

Detailed Definition
Metathesis is the transposition of sounds or letters within a word (e.g., “aks” for “ask”), and in poetry, it may be used dialectally, archaically, or for rhythmic emphasis; while often stigmatized, poetic metathesis can authenticate voice (in regional verse) or create sonic surprise, as in Hopkins’s sprung rhythm where consonant clusters shift to heighten alliterative energy and oral texture.
Example
Example in poetry:
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” uses metathesis: “nevermore” echoing “evermore”; Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “sprung rhythm” employs metathesis in word stress; Contemporary poet Kay Ryan uses metathesis for wit: “short lines, sharp ends”; Emily Dickinson’s “Circumference” plays with metathesis of sound and meaning; Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” uses metathesis: “Ich, ich, ich, ich” shifting German to English; A.E. Stallings uses metathesis in “Hapax Legomenon” for linguistic surprise.
Additional Notes
Transposition of sounds/letters within word (ask→aks). Type of metaplasm. Related: spoonerism, malapropism. In poetry, can be dialectal, comic, or metrical device. Tip: Distinguish deliberate artistic use from error.
Also Known As
Letter reversal Transposition Sound switch Phoneme exchange
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