Dog Community

Can you "roll the tongue"?

Posted : 9/21/2011 10:29:51 PM

I'd love to learn how to "roll the tongue" like Jean Donaldson does. I have her "Perfect Paws in 5 Days" DVD and she does this amazing sound with her voice. It's got to be a variation of the Spanish rolling the tongue. Her variation sounds like a "purrr." I've looked up videos on YouTube but I just can't figure it out. Man, that is hard. I'm thinking it may take years to learn. It would come in really handy when training dogs.

griffinej5

Posted : 9/22/2011 8:57:55 AM

Nope, can't do it.... or rather, I can't do it in Spanish words. It's actually one of the reasons I didn't take Spanish class in high school. Interestingly enough, I can do it in Russian words. I had friends try to teach me how to do it in Spanish words, but to no avail. I can do it in Russian without anyone ever having taught me.

ShelterDogs

Posted : 9/22/2011 11:35:11 AM

griffinej5

Nope, can't do it.... or rather, I can't do it in Spanish words. It's actually one of the reasons I didn't take Spanish class in high school. Interestingly enough, I can do it in Russian words. I had friends try to teach me how to do it in Spanish words, but to no avail. I can do it in Russian without anyone ever having taught me.

This is really interesting. I will definitely be looking up YT videos later for Russian trills. Thanks for the heads up. You really have to see Jean Donaldson doing this. She makes this amazing "purring" sound. It would be an incredibly useful tool as a dog trainer.

Boxermom2Marley

Posted : 9/22/2011 2:42:10 PM

I think I can do it...kinda Smile Not really the spanish way where they actually roll their tongue, but using the back of my throat and tongue, I can make a purring sound

rwbeagles

Posted : 9/22/2011 2:49:28 PM

I can. I am also half hispanic tho....so it is my genes. My son can...he is 8. My daughter cannot...she is 10. My husband cannot. My daughter and husband also have trouble pronoucing words like specific. My son and I have impressive diction and pronounciation abilities, even for very complex words or tongue twisters. If you can get my son to talk to you ;)

I can do fine in most things but the umlaut blends in German were VERY difficult for me. I believe much of this is inherent or genetic. I would guess a speech pathologist might know more about how to teach it to someone. I've certainly never had any luck teaching my daughter OR husband, lol.

As to purring. I can make that noise have been able to, since I was a child. I grew up watching nature programmes and doing a howler monkey, leopard cough, peacock wail, bull elk bugle, or wolfish growl was really second nature. I was a weird kid. Thank goodness.