metanalysis
/ˌmɛtəˈnæləsɪs/
noun
- A process in language change where a word is reanalyzed into new parts, often creating a new word or changing its meaning.
- The word 'apron' came from 'napron' through metanalysis, where 'a napron' was misheard as 'an apron'.
- Metanalysis can turn a phrase like 'an ewt' into 'a newt' over time.
- Linguists study metanalysis to understand how words like 'adder' (from 'a nadder') evolved.
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