Speech error

Definition

A speech error is a non-canonical aspect of an utterance that was not intended by the speaker.

Mispronunciations or speech errors can be divided into different types.

1. anticipations: 'a leading list' (for 'a reading list')
2. perseverations: 'at the beginning of the burn' (for 'at the beginning of the turn')
3. reversals or spoonerisms: 'heft lemisphere' (for 'left hemisphere')

(Examples are taken from Fromkin 1973)

Links

Utrecht Lexicon of Linguistics

Synonyms

• slip of the tongue

Related terms

• slip of the ear
• slip of the pen
• slip of the hand

References

• Fromkin, Victoria A. (ed.) 1973. Speech errors as linguistic evidence. The Hangue: Mouton.
• Fromkin, Victoria A. 1973. 'Slips of the tongue', Scientific American 229, 1973, 114.
• Fromkin, Victoria A. (ed.) 1980. Errors in linguistic performance: Slips of the tongue, ear, pend and hand. New York: Academic Press.

Other languages

German Versprecher/Sprechfehler

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