节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-03-13
难易度:Low
关键字:vowel, consonant, pronunciation, leather, tongue twister, peck
(Music).
Hi, everyone.
Welcome to Studio Classroom Worldwide.
Thanks for joining us.
My name is Steve.
We all know the importance of exercising our bodies and even the importance of
exercising our brains.
Well, get ready, everyone, because today we're going to exercise our tongues.
And instead of lifting weights or solving a riddle, we're going to use tongue
twisters for today's workout.
Now don't worry.
It's pretty painless and it'll be fun.
So let's open our Studio Classroom magazines now to page 30 and begin reading
about Tongue Twisters.
Tongue Twisters.
Tongue exercises can be fun.
People of all ages love to have fun with language.
Tongue twisters are one of the most common ways to play with words.
So what's a tongue twister?
It's a phrase, sentence or short story that is difficult to pronounce.
That is because it uses many similar vowels and consonants.
Try to say the tongue twister quickly, and your tongue is sure to get tangled
up.
The best-known tongue twister in English was first published in a pronunciation
book and 1813:
(Music).
Well, greetings and salutations, friends.
Welcome to the studio.
Yes. We are looking at Tongue Twisters today.
So first, let's find out exactly what a tongue twister is?
Well, let's start with the word "twist." We know when we twist, that means we
are turning something and putting it in usually an uncomfortable shape.
So twist... so "twist-er" means it makes something twist.
OK, now we got that; what's a tongue twister?
OK. Well, we know what a tongue is.
So if you are saying a "tongue twister," that means you're saying a phrase that
is very difficult to say, it might make you mess up and twist your tongue.
Very nice, to twist your tongue.
You can see a picture of maybe what physically twisting your tongue would look
like in your Studio Classroom magazine.
But we're talking about tongue exercises and how much they can be fun.
Yeah, these are actually really good to practice, especially if you're learning
English.
And they are just fun even for English speakers.
Now Ryan, I will tell I used tongue twisters quite often when I studied theater.
In the theater, when we're acting, we use tongue twisters to warm up our mouths
so we can pronounce the words correctly.
So this is a fun little game that we can play; but I also played with tongue
twisters as a kid.
Well, and like you said, it could help you pronounce words correctly as well,
so.
We know that tongue exercises can be fun, so let's get started.
OK. So people of all ages love to have fun with language.
Now this is true.
Sometimes we think that studying a language is very difficult and not very fun.
But we also know that you can have fun with language just like learning English
can be fun when you study with Studio Classroom.
Yes. Now in an earlier ENGLISH article, we saw some other ways you can have fun
with English: with English jokes.
Now we're looking at how tongue twisters can be one of the most common ways to
play with words.
And I like this "play with words." That does not mean we are physically playing
with them.
We're not taking the words and using them as a toy.
Instead, we are using them in interesting ways and interesting patterns to try
to mix up our tongue.
Yeah. OK.
So you might be asking: What is a tongue twister?
Well, you know that it's a phrase or could also be a sentence or short story
that is difficult to pronounce.
That's right.
And when it's difficult to pronounce,
you have to pay very close attention to what you're saying so you don't mess it
up because usually tongue twisters are written to make you sound really silly.
So if you're messing them up, they're going to be very funny.
But that's the whole point of them.
So you need to use these tongue twisters and be OK and ready to laugh at
yourself and with your friends.
Yeah. That's what we learned in our last ENGLISH article as well.
It's OK to laugh at yourself.
So go ahead and try some tongue twisters.
Now why are these difficult, Kaylah?
Well, it's because it uses many similar vowels and consonants.
So they're hard to pronounce because we're combining sounds that are very
similar but are important to keep different.
OK. Well, let's talk about vowels and consonants.
First, a "vowel" is a letter or the sound made by any number of letters such as
A, E, I, O or U.
And sometimes Y.
And sometimes Y.
That's right. So A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y are our vowels.
And they make the mouth open sounds... these very rounded sounds.
So "consonants" are any letter of the alphabet that is not a vowel.
So if you know the six vowels, then you're good to go.
You know the rest are consonants.
Exactly. Consonants make sounds where your mouth or your tongue are closed for a
part of the sound of that letter.
That's right. So "b..." or "t...," your mouth is slightly closed at some point.
OK. So try to say the tongue twisters quickly, and well, your tongue is sure to
get tangled up.
That's right.
Your mouth is trying to keep up with these rounded open mouth shapes as well as
these quick closing consonant sounds, so of course it's going to be difficult.
Exactly. Now we use the phrase "tangled up" here, Kaylah.
What's one example of what "tangled up" means?
Ooh, tangled... I think the first thing I think of as tangled is my hair.
When my hair gets tangled, it's all messed up and wound around each other and
just all in the wrong place.
So this is what we're doing with our tongue.
OK. So it's similar to being twisted, things get mixed together.
OK. So let's talk about a few tongue twisters that you can try to practice.
Well, the best-known tongue twister in English was first published in a
pronunciation book in 1813.
OK. Now we've used this word earlier in this article: "Pronunciation" is just
the way that you say words.
Now this is a common mistake for people who are learning English.
Often you say "pronounciation," but that is incorrect.
You do "pronounce" a word, but you practice your "pronunciation." So remember
that as you're practicing your English,
and hopefully you can start improving.
Exactly, yeah. And this is a great way to practice your pronunciation.
But right now we're talking about a tongue twister that first started tongue
twisters when it was published in this book all about pronunciation way back in
1813.
Now I did grow up practicing this tongue twister, so hopefully you can practice
it as well.
Are you ready to hear what it is?
Great. Join us after the Chat Room.
So have you stopped by that new bakery that opened across the street?
I haven't. But I do like their name.
Oh. You mean "Rolling in the Dough"?
I didn't really understand the name.
Well, it's a play on words.
"Dough" is what you use to make bread.
But the word "dough" can also be slang for money.
So when you say someone is "rolling in the dough," it means they're rich.
Oh, I get it now.
But I notice you said the title was a "play on words." Shouldn't you have said
it was playing on words?
I thought "play" was a verb.
True. "Play" is a verb, but "play on words" is a noun phrase.
It means something funny that uses a word with two meanings or two words that
sound alike.
So is a play on words the same as a pun?
Yes, these kinds of jokes are called puns.
So would it be wrong to say the name of the bakery plays on words?
Well, I would understand what you mean, but that isn't a common saying.
I think the noun form of "play on words" is used more often.
OK. You know, I've been reading about tongue twisters.
Could I say that a tongue twister is a play on words too?
Not exactly, Ken.
A play on words is mostly about the meaning.
But tongue twisters are more focused on sounds.
A tongue twister is more like playing with words than making a play on words.
What's the difference between the two?
Well, playing with words just means having fun with them.
It can use their sounds, meanings or both.
But a play on words always involves the meanings of words.
Well, whoever came up with the name "Rolling in the Dough" must enjoy playing
with words since the name of their shop is a play on words.
That's right.
Ken, when I get out of work, I'm going to see if that bakery makes good cakes
too.
Good idea.