Italian. What a melodic language, full of musicality and love. Yeah, right. Then, let’s talk about the so-called “scioglilingua,” the incredibly infamous tongue twisters. Yes, because tongue twisters in Italian are not simply hard sentences to say, but many of them are seriously targeted to the weakest point of the language, and many people’s pronunciation defects: the “r” and “gl.”

Let’s look at some of them. Let’s start off with an easy one: “Apelle figlio d’Apollo fece una palla di pelle di pollo e tutti I pesci vennero a galla per vedere la palla di pelle di pollo fatta d’Apelle figlio d’Apollo.” I never understood really why this one was considered hard, but I have to say that it is a great exercise for all Italian learners on doubles. Hold on to that “l” and make that “pollo” a chicken and not a pole.  Now let’s practice our “p” and “c”: “In un piatto poco cupo poco pepe cape.” Yup, speed it up!

“Sopra la panca la capra campa, sotto la panca la capra crepa,” be aware that the goat on top of the bench is alive, but underneath it the goat is dead. Not the opposite. Poor goat.

And if you think that the word “maglietta” is hard to say, then try to say this: “Sul tagliere taglia l'aglio, non tagliare la tovaglia: la tovaglia non è aglio e tagliarla è un grave sbaglio.” This is a really mean one to the thousands of Italians – and Italian learners too! – that can’t pronounce the “gl.” Especially when growing up, they are asked to say this scioglilingua, or a similar one, at least a thousand times.

The torture is not over yet, though. Now the really hard part comes:  the tongue twisters with the “r.” “Orrore orrore un ramarro verde su un muro marrone;” “Trentatrè trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatrè trotterellando;” “Tre tigri contro tre tigri.” Are you still with me? How’s your tongue feeling? And your brain?

Because if they are not tired yet I have more for you. “Chi troppo in alto sal cade sovente precipitevolissimevolmente” or try even the single word: “Riaggomitolamelo.” But to be honest those two are jokes compared to this one – try to even read it: “Se l' Arcivescovo di Costantinopoli si disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzasse, vi disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzereste voi come si è disarcivescoviscostantinopolizzato l' Arcivescovo di Costantinopoli?” Yes, those words are – kinda – real and have – kinda –  meaning.

However, Italian is not the only language in Italy that has tongue twisters – as if they weren’t hard enough! Dialects have scioglilingua too! Here is one of the most famous! This is in Milanese, and yes, it has a full meaning. It actually is a conversation between two people: “Ti che te tachet i tac, tachet i tac a mi. Mi? Tacat i tac a ti, ti che tachet i tac? Tacheti ti i to tac, ti che te tachet i tac.” Tac, tic, toc, what? Here’s the translation for you: “You that attach the heels to the shoe, can you attach my heels to my shoes? Me? Attach the heels to you, you who attach the heels? Attach your own heels, you that attach the heels.” Not an elevated conversation but still one!

At the end, to be honest, even the word “scioglilingua” is no joke to pronounce.