Keeletaus

Keeletaus is a term used in linguistics and cognitive training to describe a deliberate slowing and pausing of tongue movements during speech. The technique is described as a way to improve articulatory precision, stabilize speech timing, and reduce misarticulations, especially in challenging listening environments or for individuals with speech disorders such as stuttering. In practice, Keeletaus involves lengthening specific tongue gestures, directing attention to the tip and blade of the tongue, and coordinating breath with articulation. It is sometimes paired with paced breathing or metronome cues to maintain a consistent tempo.

Origin and usage: The term appears in niche literature and has shown up in Finnish-language studies and creative-writing contexts as a concept highlighting the role of tongue musculature in fluent speech. It is not part of mainstream phonetics, and there is limited empirical consensus on its efficacy. Proponents argue that Keeletaus can reduce cognitive load by externalizing timing control and creating a more deliberate articulatory plan, while critics caution that excessive pausing can disrupt natural prosody and intelligibility.

Applications: In speech therapy, Keeletaus is discussed as a supplementary technique for clients who struggle with rapid, pressured speech. In performance training and public speaking, practitioners use the approach to train steadier articulation and confidence. In language learning, Keeletaus is proposed as a drill to stabilize pronunciation before moving to sentence-level practice.

See also: articulatory phonetics, speech therapy, stuttering, fluency shaping.