linguales

Linguales is a term used in different fields to denote a relationship to the tongue. In medical and anatomical contexts, lingual describes structures and regions associated with the tongue. In linguistics, it refers to sounds produced with the tongue as the primary articulator. The term ultimately derives from Latin lingua, meaning “tongue.”

In anatomy, lingual elements include the lingual nerve, a branch of the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve that provides sensation to the tongue; the lingual artery, a branch of the external carotid; and the lingual vein, which drains the tongue. The tongue is also connected to the floor of the mouth by the lingual frenulum. The dorsal surface bears lingual papillae, which include filiform, fungiform, and circumvallate types, and at the posterior part lies the lingual tonsil. Collectively, these components contribute to taste, sensation, movement, and immune defense.

In linguistics, lingual sounds are those articulated with the tongue. This category encompasses a wide range of places of articulation, including dental, alveolar, postalveolar, palatal, and retroflex. The study of lingual sounds is a central facet of articulatory phonetics and helps distinguish how languages shape and constrain human speech.

Etymologically, lingual derives from Latin lingualis, from lingua meaning “tongue.” The term appears across disciplines to signal tongue-related features, from anatomy and physiology to phonetics and language studies. See also tongue, gustation, phonetics, and articulatory phonetics.