English (Modern)
(Indo-European, Germanic, West )		 For more information about metathesis in this language, click on the following links:
Summary:
Synchronic
Reversals of sequences of sounds occur in some lexical items in many English dialects. The data reported below are from North American English varieties. 

Reversals occur both in the form of morphophonemic alternations but most frequently as variable pronuncations of a particular word. 

Some involve two consonants with one frequently being a liquid.

Others involve a liquid and vowel.

One example has both C/C and C/V metathesis.
Examples
Conditions
Motivation
Related info
Comments
References
Examples:
(See Comments for key to special characters used.)
Consonant + Consonant:
Alternation:
comfRt, comftRbL  'comfort, comfortable'

Variation:
tSipolte ~ tSipotle    'Chipotle, Mexican restaurant'

Consonant and Vowel:
pr@poz ~ p@rpoz    'propose'  (similarly, in other words beginning with 'pre')
nukliR ~ nuky@lR   'nuclear'
ril@tR ~ riLtR       'realtor' 

Both C/V and C/C metathesis:
brEkfis ~ brEfIks   'breakfast'
Conditions:
In many cases one of the consonants is a liquid.
Motivation:
In progress.
Related information:
None available at the present time.
Comments:
Special Symbols:
R = syllabic r
L = syllabic l
E = mid, front lax vowel, as in 'bed'
@ = schwa

Last updated: 1/30/2002
References:
My gratitude to, among others, Robin Dautricourt, Daniel Kiracofe, Bill Raymond and John Goldsmith for providing some of the examples.