What Does Speaking in Tongues Actually Sounds Like?

[LinkH]

I read a linguistic study that examined some speaking in tongues and said it was just repetition of phonemes from the speakers own language.

This is different from my experience. I use vowels and consonant clusters not found in English, like an 'st' sound, but at a different point of articulation than an English 'st' sound, closer to the teeth. I also use vowels that do not quite correspond to English vowels.

What about those of you who speak in tongues. Are the sounds similar to those of English?

Has anyone ever had their language identified by an onlooker who spoke it? Has anyone ever verified the interpretation of a tongue in your experience? I have a book about these sort of experiences that I downloaded online.

 

[SharonL]

My tongues change according to the need.

I have a friend who is an evanglist - he went to Peru and was giving the sermon and he looked and the interpretor just sat down and he did not understand why - he did not realize he was speaking clearly the language of Peru - after the service was over he ask the interpretor why he didn't finish. He told him the language was perfect.

God uses the tongues as needed - I have heard many stories where someone was praying and someone that needed to hear it in their language understood what he was saying.

My language has a peaceful side, then when times are intense it has a more foreceful side.

 

[jeolmstead]

I’ve never had someone understand my prayer language.

I have uttered a prophetic tongue which was interpreted by another man. I normally no do demonstrate this gift, and, this was years ago, but as I recall it was a very different experience then praying in tongues.

When I prayed for my wife to receive the baptism we both were praying in tongues in the same language at the same time (it was very astounding to us)

Another time we were singing in the spirit the same words at the same time.

John O.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Mine sounds a lot like

untie by bow tie

and

who stole my honda.

***Sits back and waits to see someone reveal their age by their response****

 

[DianeL]

Balance, that is funny!

I seem to have a spanish type flair in my prayer language - sort of a lot of 'Que' and "Estas" before a sentence (if you could call them sentences?). Some times, it changes, but mostly stays this way. I love it!

I haven't yet had anyone approach me to say I was speaking their language, but then, I haven't been to Spain or Mexico yet - smile

 

[Andry]

Did the study look at speaking in tongues in other countries or other cultures?

 

[sebastian]

vowels can easily be changed just by the shape of the mouth, consonants are a bit harder to just do. So i don't think vowels would prove anything either way. I know people speak languages they never heard before and speakers of that language translated it, I also heard of people making a clicking noise used in an african language.

Did the study take into account all the different variations in that one language which have many accents and dialects which would further increase the range of phonemes used?

I think it should also consider the consonant clusters used and not just the ones used in isolation.

In fact I just wanna read it. you got a link?

 

[LinkH]

It was a study in a print journal from the 70's. I think it looked at English and Spanish speakers. It was not favorable toward the idea that tongues were something real. Most studies like this aren't.

 

[sebastian]

yeah well, the very basic idea 99.9% of linguists hold is that real language use has to have a thought behind it, which is true for Human language, but tongues is something else, it's like comparing fire and water.

And even if it is usually conditioned by the speakers knowldge of phonetic sounds I don't see how that matters in the least. It's not what tongues is about in my view anyway.

 

[whatfor]

I have found I seem to get different accents come out at times, french is one , but there have been others I haven't worked out.

 

[tturt]

jeolmstead - that's so cool!

Read some writings by Marie Woodworth Etter and that happened to numerous members of the same congregations sometimes - a church filled with people and many singing the same prayer language!

 

[DiscipleWhomJesusLoves]

I read a linguistic study that examined some speaking in tongues and said it was just repetition of phonemes from the speakers own language.

I would never allow the secular mind (linguists, scientists, Nat Geo, Discov Channel etc) to explain spiritual things to me.

1 Corinthians 2:14
4 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
NKJV

 

[ARBITER01]

I read a linguistic study that examined some speaking in tongues and said it was just repetition of phonemes from the speakers own language.

This is different from my experience. I use vowels and consonant clusters not found in English, like an 'st' sound, but at a different point of articulation than an English 'st' sound, closer to the teeth. I also use vowels that do not quite correspond to English vowels.

What about those of you who speak in tongues. Are the sounds similar to those of English?

Mine are different at times but mostly have a sort of spanish flare at times. I speak really fast, sort of a double-tongue. Similar to the double-tongue that some musicians have.

They have been known languages at times also, like hebrew, chinese dialects, and others. Just depends on how close I'm moving with The Holy Spirit and if He prompts something different in me than the norm.

Has anyone ever had their language identified by an onlooker who spoke it? Has anyone ever verified the interpretation of a tongue in your experience? I have a book about these sort of experiences that I downloaded online.

Yes, after I received my tongues, there was a guy on the same ship as I who had the gift of interpretation, who was able to interpret some of my prayer language. That is not the normal usage of that particular gift, but he was able to give me different things I was saying to GOD when I prayed. It was a great witness for me so that satan couldn't say different to me.

 

[imperfectchristian]

I know of a girl who was dating a AG guy...they went to his church and somebody gave a message in tongues and someone else interpreted...at the end of the service she was walking out and said...that was weird how one person said something and then the other person just stood up and repeated it....her boyfriend then told her that the first person had spoken in tongues, but she heard it in English.

The message was that tongues were real and to not be afraid. She got the baptism of the Holy Spirit not too long after that.

What bugs me personally is that I don't currently have a big prayer language. I don't even enjoy praying in tongues unless I feel the Spirit moving.

 

[Deba]

My usual prayer language has a Polynesian flair. But sometimes is a totally different language that seems to use the d or very hard t sound a lot.

 

[jive4005]

it is the voice of the "gut" speaking rather than the mouth and tongue (for out of my belly shall issue rivers of living waters)...

my take on it...

rev j

 

[Criada]

Mine sounds a lot like

untie by bow tie

and

who stole my honda.

***Sits back and waits to see someone reveal their age by their response****

'ave a bacardi??

yup, I'm that old too!

 

[Tsadde]

I definitely have sounds that are not in English, or any of the European languages. I was very curious and listened to many languages to see if there was one that sounded like it.

There is! I found the second language sounds too. (which is tonal and has at least two phonemes I was not familiar with.) Whether or not you are curious like I am, or even if you are afraid that examining a prayer language shows a lack of faith, this is still an interesting site just to hear the work that has been done translating the Jesus film and Bible teachings in many languages.

http://www.everytongue.com/list1-on-line-recordings.htm

 

[AllTalkNoAction]

Scientific study here.

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It’s “fas[wash my mouth]ci[wash my mouth]nat[wash my mouth]ing be[wash my mouth]cause these sub[wash my mouth]jects tru[wash my mouth]ly be[wash my mouth]lieve that the spir[wash my mouth]it of God is mov[wash my mouth]ing through them and con[wash my mouth]trol[wash my mouth]ling them to speak,” said the uni[wash my mouth]ver[wash my mouth]si[wash my mouth]ty’s An[wash my mouth]drew New[wash my mouth]berg, one of the re[wash my mouth]search[wash my mouth]ers.

The “re[wash my mouth]search shows us that these sub[wash my mouth]jects are not in con[wash my mouth]t[wash my mouth]rol of the usu[wash my mouth]al lan[wash my mouth]guage cen[wash my mouth]ters dur[wash my mouth]ing this ac[wash my mouth]ti[wash my mouth]v[wash my mouth]i[wash my mouth]ty, which is con[wash my mouth]sis[wash my mouth]t[wash my mouth]ent with their de[wash my mouth]s[wash my mouth]c[wash my mouth]rip[wash my mouth]tion of a lack of in[wash my mouth]ten[wash my mouth]tio[wash my mouth]n[wash my mouth]al con[wash my mouth]t[wash my mouth]rol.”[/FONT]

 

[AllTalkNoAction]

why does that happen ? (above)