Published: 2025-08-22

On the Contemporary Functions of Tongue Twisters – From Play to Education

Barbara Żebrowska-Mazur
Dzieciństwo. Literatura i Kultura
Section: Studies
DOI https://doi.org/10.32798/dlk.1781

Abstract

The article explores the genre of wymawianki [tongue twisters, jawbreakers], opening with an analysis of the varied terminology and the roles these texts played in children’s folklore – functioning both as a confrontational game between children and a pronunciation exercise. The author then examines the contemporary uses of tongue twisters: supporting children’s speech development, aiding in speech therapy, and facilitating diction practice in language learning. The diversity of contexts in which these texts are used stems from their key feature: a verbal layer composed of challenging phoneme clusters that, when spoken quickly, can produce a humorous effect.

Keywords:

childlore, tongue twisters, child language development, jawbreakers

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Download files

Citation rules

Żebrowska-Mazur, B. (2025). On the Contemporary Functions of Tongue Twisters – From Play to Education. Dzieciństwo. Literatura I Kultura, 7(1), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.32798/dlk.1781

Cited by / Share


This website uses cookies for proper operation, in order to use the portal fully you must accept cookies.