Metathetical

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or exhibiting the transposition of sounds or syllables within a word, as when 'ask' becomes 'aks'
2. Characterized by the shifting of phonetic elements to different positions in a word, changing its pronunciation
3. Describing a linguistic change in which sounds or sound sequences swap positions within a word form

Etymology: Greek "metathesis" meant a "placing across" or transposition, formed from "meta-" (across, after) and "tithenai" (to place). That same root gives English "thesis," a thing set down or proposed. Linguists borrowed the term for the swapping of sounds or letters within a word. English offers familiar examples. Old English "brid" became "bird," and "acsian" became "ask," with the consonants trading places over time. Speakers of many languages have produced such swaps, and some are stable enough to become standard forms. "Metathetical" is the adjective, built with the common "-ical" suffix, and describes changes of this kind or the process itself.