General Information about Item:

• Tongue Twister
• Language: Spanish
• Country of Origin: Mexico
• Informant: Juanita Morales
• Date Collected: 10-4-18

Informant Data:

• The informant is Juanita Morales. She was born April 22, 1999 in Laseigha, Colombia. She came to the United States when she was nine and is now an American citizen. She is currently a sophomore at Dartmouth College. She is a Spanish native speaker and speaks with her family in Spanish. Most of her family still resides in Colombia and she retains a close connection with the culture.

Contextual Data:

• Cultural Context: Tongue Twisters in Spanish speaking countries are used in a similar way and in similar places as other cultures. Tongue Twisters are most common with children who are taught them in order to learn difficult sounds and methods of speaking. These tongue twisters can be used as entertainment for children during playtime or be part of a tongue twister contest where students compete be able to speak it the fastest or the best at speaking it are some of the most popular uses. Spanish language has many difficult sounds and words with many consonants that have to be said rather fast.
• Social Context: This is an extremely common Spanish language tongue twister. There is no specific group that this is said by, but it is extremely common and known by many people. It is found in numerous Latin American countries, including Colombia and Mexico. -ito/-ita is used as a diminutive in Spanish. It is used in order to show the age of a person being young or little. Pablito is a common Latin American name. -ito can also be used to create another name from an already common name, such as adding -ita to the name Juana to create Juanita or “little Juana”. It is also used as a term of endearment.

Item:

• Original Spanish: Pablito clavo un clavito en la calva de un clavito. En la calva de un clavito un clavito clavo Pablito.
• Translation: Pablito hammered a little nail on the head of a little nail. In the head of a little nail, a little nail (did) Pablito hammer.

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Tongue Twister

Full Interview:

Informant’s Comments:

• One of the most common Spanish tongue twisters.

Collector’s Comments:

• The other person that I interviewed (Yasmin Ochoa) also wanted to tell this tongue twister.

Collector’s Name: Caroline Atwood

Tags/Keywords:

• Tongue Twister
• Spanish
• Colombia