tongue twister

tongue twister
a word or sequence of words difficult to pronounce, esp. rapidly, because of alliteration or a slight variation of consonant sounds, as "She sells seashells by the seashore."
[1895-1900]

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speech
      word or group of words made difficult to articulate by a close sequence of similar consonantal sounds. Tongue twisters are often passed on for generations, becoming a rich part of folklore. Two widely known English-language twisters are “She sells sea shells beside the seashore” and one beginning “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Some are more difficult to enunciate—“The sixth sheik's sixth sheep's sick.”

      Tongue twisters have been recommended for curing hiccups and for curing lisps and other speech defects. They are also used for testing the fit of dentures and for screening applicants for broadcasting positions.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • tongue twister — {n.} A word or group of words difficult to pronounce whose meaning is irrelevant compared to the difficulty of enunciation. * / She sells sea shells by the seashore is a popular American tongue twister./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

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