Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste (gustation), as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels. In humans a secondary function of the tongue is phonetic articulation. The tongue also serves as a natural means of cleaning one's teeth. The ability to perceive different tastes is not localised in different parts of the tongue, as is widely believed. This error arose because of misinterpretation of some 19th-century research (see tongue map).
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Famous quotes containing the word tongue:
“If the tongue had not been framed for articulation, man would still be a beast in the forest.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“My desire and thy desire
Twining to a tongue of fire,”
—Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
“I am convinced that the best service a retired general can perform is to turn in his tongue along with his suit, and to mothball his opinions.”
—Omar Bradley (1893–1981)