lingua

Lingua is the Latin word for tongue and, by extension, for language. In scientific and historical usage, the term appears in various contexts: anatomically as the tongue, linguistically as a root in words relating to language, and culturally in expressions such as lingua franca. The word has carried into many modern languages and scientific terms, including phrases and disciplines that study language.

In anatomy, lingua denotes the tongue, a muscular, mucosa-covered organ located in the oral cavity. The tongue participates in taste, manipulation of food, swallowing, and speech. It is composed of intrinsic muscles that change shape and extrinsic muscles that move it within the mouth. The surface bears papillae, some containing taste buds. Motor control is provided mainly by the hypoglossal nerve (cranial nerve XII), with sensory input from several other cranial nerves. The tongue’s function and health are central to nutrition, communication, and oral hygiene.

In language and culture, lingua often appears as a Latin root in terms such as linguistics and bilingual, and it is prominently used in the phrase lingua franca, which historically described a common trade language used among speakers of diverse native tongues. The term also appears in scientific naming and descriptions across biology, where lingua is used as the anatomical term for the tongue in many species.

Overall, lingua links anatomy, language, and culture through a single traditional word for tongue and language.