TONGUE (AS. hinge, Goth. tuggo, OHG. zunga, Ger. Zunyc, tongue; connected with OLat. dingua, Lat. lingua, tongue). A sym metrical muscular organ, extending from the hyoid bone forward and downward, to the lips in front, and occupying the buccal cavity. The superior surface, borders, and anterior third of the inferior surface are free; while the remaining parts are attached to adjacent parts by the in vesting mucous membrane and subjacent struc tures. At certain points this membrane, on leav ing the tongue, forms distinct folds, containing fibrous o• muscular tissue, which net to a cer tain extent as ligaments of the tongue. The most considerable of these folds is termed the fra•num (or bridle) of the tongue, and connects its ante rior free extremity with the lower jaw. It acts as a strong ligament, and limits the back-ward move ment of the tip of the tongue. In rare cases this
ligament extends abnormally to the tip, so as to interfere with speech and mastication, and the child is said to be tongue-tied; recourse must be then had to division of the fnenum, popularly known as rutting the tongue. Other folds of mucous membrane (the glosso-cpiglottid folds) pass from the base of the tongue to the epiglottis; while from the sides of the base, passing to the soft palate, are seen two folds on either side, known as the pillars of the lances. (See PALATE). The superior surface of the tongue is divided into two symmetrical lateral parts by a median lon gitudinal furrow beginning at the tip, and ex tending back about two-thirds of the tongue's length. The various kinds of papilhe which are seen on their surface are described in the article