lengua
Intermediate-AdvancedNeutral to formal depending on usage; literary or technical in extended meanings.
Definition
Meaning
The physical organ inside the mouth used for tasting, swallowing, and speaking.
Used to refer to language, speech, or a specific system of communication; also refers to a narrow strip of land projecting into water, or a long, thin object resembling a tongue.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to the bodily organ but is commonly used metonymically for language or speech, especially in literary or formal contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use 'tongue' for the organ. 'Language' is the direct equivalent for the 'speech' meaning, but 'lengua' is not used as a direct translation; 'native tongue' is the equivalent phrase.
Connotations
In English, 'tongue' for language carries a poetic or archaic connotation (e.g., 'mother tongue'). The physical organ sense is neutral. The 'strip of land' sense is technical/geographical.
Frequency
The physical sense is common. The 'language' sense is less frequent in everyday English than 'language' itself, appearing in set phrases.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
speak [a language] (as in 'speak the local tongue')have a [adjective] tongue (e.g., sharp, silver)stick out one's tongueVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the tip of one's tongue”
- “a slip of the tongue”
- “bite one's tongue”
- “tongue-tied”
- “speak with a forked tongue”
- “loosen someone's tongue”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in phrases like 'the local tongue' when discussing overseas operations.
Academic
Used in linguistics (e.g., 'Germanic tongues'), literature, and anthropology.
Everyday
Common for the body part and in idioms ('bite your tongue'). 'Mother tongue' is a standard phrase.
Technical
Anatomy, medicine, geography (as a 'tongue' of land or ice).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- She burnt her tongue on the hot tea.
- He spoke in his native tongue, a dialect of Welsh.
- A narrow tongue of land extended into the loch.
American English
- He bit his tongue by accident.
- English is her mother tongue.
- A tongue of flame shot from the bonfire.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor said, 'Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.'
- I speak English, but my mother tongue is Spanish.
- It was on the tip of my tongue, but I just couldn't remember her name.
- Be careful what you say; she has a very sharp tongue.
- The diplomat was fluent in several European tongues.
- The geological survey noted a long tongue of glacial ice.
- His silver tongue could persuade anyone of almost anything.
- The poet played with the rhythms and cadences of the English tongue.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Your TONGUE helps you TALK. Think of 'tongue' and 'talk' starting with 'T'. Also, a 'tongue of land' sticks out like an animal's tongue.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A BODY PART (The tongue represents the faculty of speech). THIN/SHAPED OBJECTS ARE TONGUES (e.g., tongue of flame, tongue of a shoe).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend: 'lengua' (Spanish) / 'langue' (French) = language. In English, the direct word is 'language'. 'Tongue' for language is more limited and often poetic/phrasal.
- Direct translation of phrases like 'lengua materna' should be 'mother tongue' or 'native language', not 'mother language'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'tongue' alone to mean 'language' in a standard sentence (e.g., 'I study the English tongue' – sounds archaic/odd). Use 'language'.
- Confusing 'tongue' with 'language' in all contexts.
- Misspelling as 'tounge'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'tongue' is most technical/geographical?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not usually by itself. Use 'language'. 'Tongue' in this sense is found in fixed phrases like 'mother tongue', 'native tongue', or in literary/ historical contexts.
'Language' is the standard, neutral term for a system of communication. 'Tongue' refers to the physical organ and, metaphorically, to language, but with poetic, archaic, or phrasal connotations (e.g., 'gift of tongues').
It is standard and neutral, acceptable in both formal and informal contexts. 'Native language' is equally common, especially in formal writing.
It means deceitful or dishonest speech, originating from the image of a snake's forked tongue. To 'speak with a forked tongue' is to lie or be deliberately misleading.