OLD ENGLISH 
(England; Indo-European, West Germanic)		 For more information about metathesis in this language, click on the following links:
Summary:
a. sp underwent metathesis to ps in late Old English.
b. Medial sk often underwent metathesis to ks in late West Saxon.
Examples
Conditions
Motivation
Related processes
Comments
References
Examples:
(See Comments for key to special characters used.)
a. ps  >  sp in late Old English
 
cops     > cosp  'fetter, bond'
wlips    > wlisp  'lisping'

b. Medial sk in Old English  >  ks in late West Saxon
 
fiscas    > fixas  'fishes'
wascan     > waxan  'to wash'

Conditions:
No information currently available.
Motivation:
See Steriade (2001) regarding a perceptually-based account of stop-fricative metathesis.
Related processes:
No information currently available.
Comments:
Last updated: 2/13/2001
References:
  • Silva, Clare M. 1973. Metathesis of Obstruent Clusters. OSUWPL 14. 77- 84.
  • Steriade, Donca. 2001. Directional asymmetries in assimilation.  In E. Hume & K.

    •   Johnson (eds.), The Role of Perception in Phonology. New York: Academic. 219-278.
  • Wright, Joseph & Elizabeth Mary Wright. 1925. Old English Dictionary. 3rd ed. Oxford English Press.
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