The spelling of the word "tongued" can be confusing due to the silent 'u'. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is written as /tʌŋd/. The 't' sound is followed by the short vowel 'ʌ' and then the consonant blend 'ŋd', which represents the 'ng' sound followed by the voiced consonant 'd'. Even though the 'u' is not pronounced, it helps to distinguish this word from "tonged", which has a different meaning. Proper spelling is crucial in effective communication, so it is important to master the spelling of commonly used words.
Tongued is an adjective that primarily describes an object or person possessing a particular type or style of tongue. The word "tongued" is formed by the addition of the suffix "-ed" to the noun "tongue." When something is described as "tongued," it means that it has a specific kind of tongue or a feature related to the tongue.
The term "tongued" can be applied to various contexts. In the realm of botany, for instance, plants may be described as "tongued" if they have long, slender, or tongue-like leaves or petals. This descriptor emphasizes the shape or appearance of the plant's foliage.
Furthermore, the term "tongued" can also be employed to characterize people based on their aptitude for speaking or their language skills. When a person is described as "tongued," it typically implies that they have a particular fluency, eloquence, or mastery of language. This could refer to their effective use of words, their proficiency in multiple languages, or their extraordinary communicative abilities.
In northern English dialect, the term "tongued" may also refer to a person who is perceived to be gossipy or talkative. In this context, it suggests that the individual possesses a propensity for sharing information or engaging in gossip-like conversations.
In summary, "tongued" is an adjective that is used to describe something or someone that possesses a particular type of tongue, whether in a literal or metaphorical sense.
Having a tongue.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "tongued" comes from the Old English term "tunge" which means "tongue". In Old English, the suffix "-ed" was added to the noun "tunge" to form the adjective "tunged" or "tonged", meaning "having a tongue". Over time, the spelling evolved and "tonged" became the standard form.