A Tongue Twister at the Horse Race Track
I sometimes use English tongue twisters in my English class, and when I do, my students tell me Japanese tongue twisters (which are more difficult than the English ones).
Earlier this month at a Tokyo race course, a three year old filly with an unusual name won the race. The horse's name is Sumomomomomomomomo. I know - - - What???
The horse's name comes from a Japanese tongue twister: Sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi (スモモも、モモも、モモのうち), which means "plums, peaches, peaches". A sumomo is a kind of plum (not to be confused with the ume plum), but a close relative of the peach.
Try saying these Japanese tongue twisters (about 2 minute video)
6 comments:
Pamela: English tongue twisters are easy compared to Japanese twisters this was a fun post, I am still giggling.
Catherine
You have to feel sorry for the race callers!
Vireya is right, it must be hard to be a commentator at the race, especially if this horse and another are neck and neck.
Tongue twisters are much easier if you can see the words as pictures. Think of the wheat, rice and onions placed on a table and you can say their names.
For a student of English who can see this scene: a stall on the beach where a girl is selling shells she has found in the sea, can easily learn to say:She sells sea shells on the sea shore.
If the student only knows them by sound, the tongue will twist!
I saw on TV news. The VTR of the race when this horse won.
I thought the announcer was perfect and professional.
Japanese tongue twister I am not good at.
｢東京 特許 許可局｣
（Tokyo patent approval office）
In Japanese….
｢Tokyo tokkyo kyokakyoku｣
※In fact,there is no such government office is Japan.
These are fun. I need to share them with Rick!
Want some German tongue twisters too? The most famous ones are probably 'Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz' and 'Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid'!
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