<P> The intrinsic muscles of the tongue enable the shaping of the tongue which facilitates speech . </P> <P> The tongue has a role in physical intimacy and sexuality . The tongue is part of the erogenous zone of the mouth and can be employed in intimate contact as in the French kiss . </P> <P> A congenital disorder of the tongue is that of ankyloglossia also known as tongue - tie . The tongue is tied to the floor of the mouth by a very short and thickened frenulum and this affects speech, eating, and swallowing . </P> <P> The tongue is prone to several pathologies including glossitis and other inflammations such as geographic tongue, and median rhomboid glossitis; burning mouth syndrome, oral hairy leukoplakia, oral candidiasis (thrush) and black hairy tongue . </P>

Where does the tongue attach to the mouth