Professors Pick 5
Photo by Brandt Ranj
February 2, 2012
Filed under Arts & Leisure
Adjunct Professor of Communications Leslie Streissguth’s Pick for Top 5 Tongue Twisters
1.) Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers?If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of peppers Peter Piper picked?
This is a classic tongue twister one cannot ignore. Those who grew up with Mother Goose know the importance of that missing peck of peppers.
2.)One smart fellow, he felt smart.Two smart fellows, they felt smart.Three smart fellows, they all felt smart.
I like this because it seems harmless until you actually try to say it!
3.) She sells sea shells by the sea shore.The shells she sells are surely seashells.So if she sells shells on the seashore,I’m sure she sells seashore shells.
Another classic, but how many people actually know the whole twister?
4.) I need not your needles, they’re needless to me;For kneading of noodles, ‘twere needless, you see;But did my neat knickers but need to be kneed,I then should have need of your needles indeed.
This is fun because its language is quaint, and offers a sense of nostalgia with references to knickers, and noodles and someone actually sewing something by hand!
5.) Mr. See owned a saw.
And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
Now See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw.
Before Soar saw See,
Which made Soar sore.
Had Soar seen See’s saw
Before See sawed Soar’s seesaw,
See’s saw would not have sawed
Soar’s seesaw.
So See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw.
But it was sad to see Soar so sore
Just because See’s saw sawed
Soar’s seesaw!
One has to appreciate both the complexity of the words as well as the story. Poor Mr. Soar and his sawed seesaw.
I also like the one-liners that offer a quick way to trip up one’s tongue (say these five times fast):
Red lorry, yellow lorry
Unique New York
Toy boat
Three free throws
Knapsack straps