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Re: Remediation of Back-of-Tongue-Motion During Articulation

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-08-31 00:44

If I am understanding this description correctly you are saying that it is only the very front part of the tongue that moves more in a 'flicking' or 'wagging' sort of motion.

It would be well for us all to realize that the tongue is made up of MANY different muscles (obvious if we keep in mind that the job of muscle tissue is merely to contract, the forearm goes up with biceps and down with triceps.......since our tongue can move in MANY different ways, there are many different muscles responsible for each of those movements).

Any sort of proper training (from the outset) or RE-training (after one already has a habit built up) must be done S-L-O-W-L-Y and methodically. As Robert Marcellus once said, "learning to tongue correctly is like potty training." Of course that comment was met with a resounding "Oh Bob!" from his wife. And the reply to that was, "but it's true Marion!"

From my limited experience I'd say that the speed of tonguing may not necessarily be aided by a more efficient motion using fewer muscles in this case. The true limit on speed seems to be dictated more by the percentage of what quality muscle fibers one is born with (fast twitch or slow twitch). But I am all for doing whatever can produce a better effect.

Do you have a training technique or two you can share?

.............Paul Aviles

Post Edited (2014-08-31 00:45)

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