One of the most surprising facts about Winston Churchill is that he had a speech impediment, thought to be a lateral lisp, which causes a person to struggle with “s” and “z” sounds in words. This is different to what Jonathan Ross suffers from with his “r” sounds, which is something called Rhotacism. Churchill consulted with a speech therapist in 1897, and was told that practise and perseverance was all that was needed to overcome the issue. He was told later on in a separate occasion by a masseuse that he had a unique ligament attached to his tongue that prevented him from speaking normally. Churchill, as we know, never let the condition affect him, becoming known for his rousing and memorable speeches as he led Britain through its Darkest Hour.
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