Tongue Twister – Korea

Nationality: Korean
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Seoul, Korea
Performance Date: April 27, 2008
Primary Language: Korean
Language: English

“Ganjang gongjang gongjangjang eun duenjang gongjang gongjangjang yida”

“Soy sauce factory manager is soybean paste factory manager”

Kwangsub told me that this is a traditional Korean tongue twister that he learned from a textbook in a Korean language class. But, he said that lots of people know and it and learn it just from word of mouth. According to him, it’s pretty much nonsensical; it has no meaning and is just supposed to confuse you.

To me it means absolutely nothing, even less than the tongue twisters that I know in English. I think it’s just meant for amusement for children. But, it does obviously incorporate things from Asia, soy sauce and soybean paste.

Korean Tongue Twister