Llengua

Llengua is a Catalan term that denotes both language and the anatomical tongue. As a linguistic concept, it refers to a system of communication shared by a community, with its own grammar, vocabulary and usage. As an anatomical term, it denotes the muscular organ in the mouth involved in tasting, swallowing and speech. The plural form for languages is llengües. The term shares a common root with similar words in other Romance languages, all ultimately tracing to Latin lingua.

In linguistic use, lenguatge and dialectal variation are distinguished within the field of phonology, syntax and semantics. The Catalan language (llengua catalana) is a Romance language that emerged from Vulgar Latin and developed in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. It has a long literary tradition and standardization efforts, with several varieties. Catalan is official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community (where it is commonly called Valencian), and is also an official language in Andorra. It is closely related to Occitan and forms part of the continuum of Western Romance languages, exhibiting regional variation in phonology and vocabulary. The language is protected and promoted under European and national frameworks that support regional and minority languages.

Anatomically, the tongue is a highly versatile muscular organ consisting of intrinsic and extrinsic muscles, capable of shaping speech, manipulating food and aiding swallowing. Taste sensation is conveyed by different cranial nerves: the anterior two-thirds of the tongue largely by the chorda tympani (branch of the facial nerve), the posterior one-third by the glossopharyngeal nerve, while the hypoglossal nerve provides motor control. The tongue also houses taste buds and sensory receptors that contribute to gustation and texture perception.