Only try this when sober

Unpronounceable phrases with arcane meanings, European debates are often marked by embarrassing moments when mumblers come a cropper on EU tongue twisters. But that is no reason not to try.

Published on 17 July 2009 at 15:49

At parties, tongue twisters are simultaneously ice-breakers and an indicator of how much someone has drunk. It's not just in beach bars that people wonder: Which wristwatch is a Swiss wristwatch? Another popular British tongue-twister is Red lorry yellow lorry red lorry yellow lorry.

The Polish and French virelangue feature “Jerzy” and a hunter as their respective main characters: Idzie Jerzy i nie wierzy, że na wieży jest sto jeży i pięćdziesiąt jeżozwierzy (Jerzy goes and does not believe that there are 100 hedgehogs and 50 porcupines in the tower), and Un chasseur sachant chasser sait chasser sans son chien de chasse (a hunter who knows how to hunt can also hunt without his dog).

Italian and German tongue-twisters make use of locations: in South Tyrol, you have to reckon with wandering locals with this sciogli lingua (loose tongue): Trentatré Trentini entrarono a Trento, tutti e trentatré, trotterellando (33 people from Trient come to Trient and all 33 trot). The German Zungenbrecher (tongue-breaker) is as follows: Im Potsdamer Boxclub boxt der Potsdamer Postbusboss (in the Potsdam boxing club the Potsdam post bus boss is boxing).

But the longest trabalengua (confused tongue) gong goes to the Spanish: Compadre, cómprame un coco. Compadre, coco no compro, que el que poco coco come, poco coco compra. (Mate, buy me a coconut. Mate, I'm not buying a coconut because those who eat few coconuts only buy few coconuts.)

Receive the best of European journalism straight to your inbox every Thursday

Anke Wagner-Wolff (Translation : Annie Rutherford)

Tags

Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!

It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.

Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!

Are you a news organisation, a business, an association or a foundation? Check out our bespoke editorial and translation services.

Support independent European journalism

European democracy needs independent media. Join our community!

On the same topic