We all remember tongue twisters from when we were in elementary school and usually it started out to see who would mess up or to get a laugh.
But there is a madness behind tongue twisters. They are used to practice and improve pronunciation and fluency. Did you know that? Because I didn’t. And it actually makes sense.
The purpose of tongue twisters is to get the brain and the tongue on the same path. If you have a tough time spitting out a tongue twister, don’t you laugh and try again and again. Most people do and what you are doing is creating a brainwave that your brain and mouth can be on together so they are synced and coordinated. It is not that different from exercising to build body muscle but in this case, one is building mind muscle.
Tongue twisters are not just for the young at heart. Yes, tongue twisters can be helpful to adults, too. Haven’t you all tried speaking in front of a mirror when you had to speak before a class? I know I have and I still didn’t get it right. Practice makes perfect and that works quite well with tongue twisters.
Try exercising some of the favorite tongue twisters for the tongue twister holiday!
- Sally sells seashells by the shiny seashore so she can see the shimmering silver ships.
- Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?
- Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread
- Denise sees the fleece, Denise sees the fleas. At least Denise could sneeze and feed and freeze the fleas.
- Picky people pick Peter Pan Peanut-Butter, ’tis the peanut-butter picky people pick.
- How many cookies could a good cook cook If a good cook could cook cookies? A good cook could cook as much cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.
- Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew. While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew. Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze. Freezy trees made these trees’ cheese freeze. That’s what made these three free fleas sneeze.
Want to make it a drinking game? Take a shot every time you mess up.
