A lisp (O Ewlisp, stammering)[1] is a speech impediment, historically also known as sigmatism.[2] Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce sibilants (like the sound [s]), and replace them with interdentals (like the sound [θ]), though there are actually several kinds of lisp. The result is that the speech is unclear.
"Interdental" lisping is produced when the tip of the tongue protrudes between the front teeth and "dentalised" lisping is produced when the tip of the tongue just touches the front teeth.
The "lateral" lisp, where the /s/ and /z/ sounds are produced with air escaping over the sides of the tongue, is also called 'slushy ess' or a 'slushy lisp' due to the wet, spitty sound. The symbols for these lateralized sounds are in the Extended International Phonetic Alphabet for speech disorders, [ʪ] and [ʫ].
Finally, there is the "palatal lisp," where the speaker attempts to make the sounds with the tongue in contact with the palate.[2]
Lisping Lisping A disorder of speech articulation involving the inability to pronounce one or more sibilant consonant sounds, usually s or z, correctly. Lisping is a speech disorder characterized by the inability to pronounce the sounds of s or z, known as the si... more
Lisp /lisp/ n. 1. The use of the dental fricatives [θ] and [ð] in place of [s] and [z] in speech, either from a speech defect or as an affectation. 2. [non-technical] An impressionistic label applied to the speech of an individual when this is perce... more
