What is a lisp, and what causes it?

A lisp is an incorrect production of the /s/ and /z/ sounds, caused by incorrect positioning of the tongue. Lisps are one of the most common speech errors. This video explains what causes a lisp and why many people choose speech therapy to correct it.

[xcreenplay]

i dont have a lisp but this was very informative

[barbaradouglas]

Very interesting info. Thank you for your clear description of this. On an older episode of “Cheers” the topic called: Cheers Has Chili. Original air date: March 14th 1991. I heard a females’ voice on their TV in the bar with this individual having a lysp in their speech. The characters name was a Dorothy. It’s a fact that I noticed it & due to the issues I’ve experienced in my life I really didn’t appreciate anyone making a joke out of it period. Just thought I’d make my comment here about this situation. People who really don’t comprehend what it’s all about really need to kindly get educated about this. Good idea. Huh?

[aPandorasboxofmusic]

When I was a kid, I had to go to speech therapy. I remember not understanding why and not noticing my lisp. It was an interdental lisp at that point, and I was apparently an easy correction since I was young (third grade) but I noticed in adulthood that my S's wouldn't carry very much in louder environments, I guess that when I stopped going to speech therapy I become less aware of my speech patterns, and why my tongue never really protrudes past my teeth (frontal lisp) it does press against them when I speak (dental lisp), which causes a much more subtle, sometimes not even detectable lisp. The thing is, I find it very hard to make the "S" sound without doing this, and almost impossible to incorporate into to my speech in my adult life. But I've learned to see this less as a disability and more as just a unique way of speaking. Some people have this, others can't say the "R" sound, and a lot of people who learn English as a second language don't ever make the "L" or "R" sounds in their speech, and don't attempt to learn until adult life. I would never consider this an "impediment, " so much as I would just an "accent" or a different manner of speaking. So I'm happy with the way I speak at this point. It isn't the same as everybody else, but people understand me and that's enough to me.

[Spence.]

I feel like some lisps are caused by oversized tongues

[boringruraleulife]

i have one if i speak english. i dont know why it goes away when i speak my other 2 languages

[frbdnknwlge]

Yes but how did I suddenly develop this lisp. It's baffling me

[mosadagent]

bro she's flexing her normal voice on lispers

[JBsoloman]

No, Im here because I read a comment on my favorite sports video, that some commentator had a lisp. I dk wtf is a lisp 🤣

[OmarOs]

Why do I have a lisp with "R" though? 😂😂
What's interesting is that my mother tongue language is Arabic, and I don't have any problems with it!
But in English, in (some/not all) situations and words, the R sounds ridiculous when I pronounce it although it's fine in Arabic! 😂😂🤷🏻‍♂🤦🏻‍♂

[miewwcubing]

In my language the s and z are retracted so nobody has a lisp like that

BUT
Ive heard a lot of people realise their s and z as normal apicals and when i ask them to pronounce s or z like how they would do it
They overpronounce it and pronounce the apical s and z

cuz they dont pay attention to their phonetics

[FawadKhan-wzbf]

Hi mam you are looking so beautiful and your talking also.
Please take care 😘❤️❤️❤️
I am in love 😍 ❤️ with you.