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Tongue twisters for diction

Tongue Twisters as a Tool for Perfecting Speech Technique

11/04/2016
speech technique tongue twisters oratory skills voice diction a form of oratory

Tongue twisters help develop speech technique, especially the clear pronunciation of words and phrases. A tongue twister should be practiced through very slow, exaggeratedly expressive speech. Through long and repeated repetition of the same words, the speech apparatus becomes so well-tuned that it learns to perform the same work at a faster pace.

This requires constant practice, and you need to do it, since quality diction cannot do without tongue twisters. To improve your diction and articulatory apparatus, it is necessary to practice tongue twisters daily, for both children and adults.

What is the correct technique for performing tongue twisters?

The main rule is to pronounce not quickly, but expressively, clearly articulating and clearly pronouncing all accents in each word. In tongue twisters, it's important to pronounce difficult words syllable by syllable, even at a slow pace, but to pronounce them without any difficulties, slips, or hesitations.

Practice each tongue twister first silently but with articulation, then move to whispers and only then aloud, first at a slow pace, and then at a fast pace. Always remember about clarity of pronunciation.

What tongue twisters are for beginner level?

Start with simpler variants:

  1. Red leather, yellow leather.
  2. She sells seashells by the seashore.
  3. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
  4. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
  5. Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter.
  6. Six sick slick slim sycamore saplings.
  7. The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
  8. A proper copper coffee pot.

What are complex tongue twisters for experienced speakers?

For those who have already mastered the basic level:

  1. The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.
  2. Irish wristwatch, Swiss wristwatch.
  3. Unique New York, you know you need unique New York.
  4. Which witch switched the Swiss wristwatches?
  5. The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes.

The most difficult tongue twisters for professionals:

  1. The seething sea ceaseth and thus the seething sea sufficeth us.

  2. Pad kid poured curd pulled cod.

  3. Six Czech cricket critics.

Regular training with tongue twisters will significantly improve your diction, help develop your articulatory apparatus, and make your speech clearer and more expressive. Remember: the main thing is not speed, but quality of pronunciation.