Have you ever wondered why the word “lisp” is tricky for people who have one? Let’s dive into this interesting topic! A lisp is a type of speech disorder where someone has trouble pronouncing certain sounds, like “s,” “z,” “sh,” and others. The scientific name for a lisp is “sigmatism.” In the United States, about 10% of people have some kind of speech disorder, including lisps.
Some people think that certain groups or languages are more likely to have lisps, but that’s not true. Lisps are actually about having difficulty with specific sounds. Just like everyone has different body shapes, people have different mouth shapes, teeth positions, and tongue lengths. These differences can make it harder for some people to say certain sounds. Sometimes, lisps can also develop from habits.
There are four common types of lisps:
This happens when the “s” or “z” sounds come out like “th.” It occurs when the tongue sticks out between the front teeth. For example, instead of saying “sea shells,” someone might say “thee thells.”
Here, the tongue presses against the front teeth, making sounds seem muffled. It’s similar to the interdental lisp but without the tongue sticking out.
This type of lisp occurs when air escapes from the sides of the tongue, creating a wet or slushy sound.
In this case, the tongue touches the soft palate (the roof of the mouth) when trying to make sounds like “s,” resulting in a “hy” sound, such as “hyhells” instead of “shells.”
Some studies suggest that frequent ear infections or hearing problems in childhood might influence lisps. However, having a lisp doesn’t mean it will last forever. Many people outgrow their lisps as they grow older and their mouths change. If a lisp continues past the age of four and a half, speech therapy might be helpful, especially if it affects social interactions or schoolwork.
Some people choose not to get treatment because, even with a lisp, most people can still understand what they’re saying. Unfortunately, people with lisps can sometimes be unfairly judged or teased. It’s important to remember that a lisp is just about how someone speaks and doesn’t reflect their intelligence or character.
According to the DSM-5, a Speech Sound Disorder is only diagnosed if the person feels it’s a problem. If they don’t see it as an issue, then medically, it isn’t considered one. Another speech trend is “vocal fry,” which some people criticize. Curious about what vocal fry is? Stay tuned to learn more!
Do you find certain sounds hard to pronounce? What tricks have you found helpful? Share your thoughts, and don’t forget to explore more fascinating topics with us!
Listen to a series of audio clips featuring different speech sounds. Identify which sounds are pronounced with a lisp. This will help you recognize the different types of lisps and understand how they affect speech.
Try pronouncing words with “s,” “z,” “sh,” and “th” sounds while observing your tongue and mouth movements in a mirror. Notice how changing the position of your tongue affects the sound. This activity will give you insight into how lisps occur.
Research and design a simple speech therapy plan that could help someone with a lisp. Include exercises and tips for practicing at home. This will help you understand how speech therapy can assist in overcoming lisps.
Engage in role-playing activities where you practice empathy and understanding by interacting with someone who has a lisp. Discuss how to support friends or classmates who might feel self-conscious about their speech.
Create a poster that educates others about lisps and other speech disorders. Include facts, types of lisps, and positive messages about acceptance and understanding. Share your poster with the class to raise awareness.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Guys, why is the word “lisp” so difficult to pronounce for people with a lisp? Hey, Lissette here for DNews. The scientific term for a lisp is sigmatism, which refers to the mispronunciation of sibilant sounds: sounds like s’s, z’s, sh’s, and so on. When people have trouble pronouncing one or more of these sounds, they are said to have a lisp. About 10 percent of people in the U.S. have a functional speech disorder, which includes lisps.
A common misconception is that people from certain groups or who speak certain languages have a lisp, but lisps actually relate to difficulty in saying specific sounds correctly. Just as we all come in different shapes and sizes, we have variations in how our teeth are positioned, how long our tongue is, and how long our lingual frenulum is (the tissue that connects our tongue to the bottom of our mouth). Lisps can occur when the configuration of your mouth, teeth, and tongue is less than ideal for producing certain sounds required by speech, although they can also form out of habit.
The trickiest sounds for people with lisps tend to be the s, z, r, l, and th sounds. These are typically the result of one or more of the four most common types of lisps. The interdental lisp occurs when the s or z sounds end up sounding like “th,” which happens when your tongue sticks out between your front teeth. If you had these teeth knocked out as a child, you may have developed this lisp temporarily! Instead of saying “sea shells,” you might say “thee thells.”
A dentalized lisp is similar to the interdental lisp, but instead of having your tongue protrude through the teeth, it just presses against the front teeth, which can make certain sounds seem muffled. A lateral lisp occurs when sound escapes through the sides of your tongue, making a wet or slushy sound. The palatal lisp occurs when people try to make sounds like /s/ but their tongue touches their soft palate, resulting in a “hy” sound, like “hyhells.”
Some studies suggest that frequent childhood ear infections or hearing problems may also influence lisps; however, just because you have a lisp at one point doesn’t mean you’ll have it forever! Some people learn to overcome these on their own, and many lisps go away as we age and our mouths and tongues grow and change, like when we grow back our front teeth. But if a lisp persists past 4-and-a-half years of age, experts suggest that therapy should be considered, especially if the lisp interferes with social interactions, work, or academics.
Some people choose not to undergo treatment. The fact is, while most lisps result in difficulty pronouncing specific words, it doesn’t mean the overall message is unclear. Most of us can easily understand what the person is saying from context. The bigger issue might stem from reports showing that people with lisps can be unfairly perceived as less intelligent and are often ridiculed or humiliated. Lisps exist because of the physical structure of our mouths and how we learned to speak; it doesn’t reflect who a person is.
According to the DSM-5, the diagnosis of a Speech Sound Disorder requires that the person feels it is inhibiting them. If they don’t think it’s a problem, medically it isn’t. Another way people speak that has become popular is vocal fry, which often receives criticism. What is vocal fry, and why are some people getting flack for using it? Find out here.
Do you have trouble pronouncing certain sounds? What have you found helps? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe for more DNews every day of the week.
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This version maintains the original content while ensuring it is respectful and appropriate.
Lisp – A speech disorder where a person has difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, often substituting ‘s’ with ‘th’. – Example sentence: The speech therapist helped Sarah correct her lisp so she could pronounce her words more clearly.
Speech – The expression of thoughts and feelings by articulating sounds. – Example sentence: During the science fair, Maria gave a speech about the importance of renewable energy.
Sounds – Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person’s ear. – Example sentence: In science class, we learned how different sounds are produced by varying the tension on a guitar string.
Tongue – A muscular organ in the mouth that is important for tasting, swallowing, and speaking. – Example sentence: The tongue plays a crucial role in forming the sounds needed for clear speech.
Teeth – Hard, bony structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing food, and also important for clear speech. – Example sentence: Proper alignment of the teeth is important for pronouncing certain sounds correctly.
Types – Categories or kinds that share common characteristics. – Example sentence: In biology, we studied different types of cells and their functions in the human body.
Disorders – Conditions that disrupt normal physical or mental functions. – Example sentence: Speech disorders can affect a person’s ability to communicate effectively.
Therapy – Treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder. – Example sentence: Speech therapy can help individuals overcome challenges with articulation and fluency.
Problems – Situations that are difficult to deal with or understand. – Example sentence: Solving math problems requires logical thinking and practice.
Intelligence – The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. – Example sentence: Scientists study animal intelligence to understand how different species learn and solve problems.
