Tongue to survive and tongue to succeed

Usually the fighting people in the corporate, people who speak harsh words on others, people who engage in gossips and love to talk ill about others are always described to have long tongue.  It is a popular belief that those who have long tongue will engage in many vicious activities.   The phrase ‘tongue’ always goes well with mother-in-laws.

Interestingly a garden plant has been named as mother-in-law’s tongue which is widely used in the garden as a decorative plant.  This nomenclature supports the popular belief that how much importance has been given to the tongue and its power.  The plant leaf is described to resemble like suppose to be the long tongue of mother-in-laws and hence it has been named so. It is generally believed all over the world that mother-in-laws used to shout and traumatize their daughter in laws as they have large/long tongue.   

The question is whether such long or large tongue of people really means anything?  Does tongue contributes to the fighting behaviour people?

Certainly in animal world, tongue plays an important role in their daily life.  For frogs and lizards, their long sticky tongue only helps in catching the prey.   The tongue for these animals act as a weapon in catching the prey and without such an advantage, they may not be in a position have their food. 

The primitive mammal anteater also uses its tongue to gather its food, mainly the ants.  Although the tongue does not help the snake to catch its prey, but definitely the forked tongue of snake only helps it to detect and sense (smell) its surroundings.

Even the carnivores like lion or tiger, the tongue has a definite role in removing the flesh from the bones as the tongue of lion or tiger has very abrasive property or effect. 

What about herbivores?  Most of the herbivores (plant eating animals), use their tongue to catch the plants/leaves and then only they could swallow.  They too have very long tongue that helps in eating the food.

Interestingly, all these animals use its tongue only just to eat the food and not for quarreling or fighting with others.  What about human beings?  Certainly, tongue is used even to provoke and show grotesque facial postures by man during fighting. 

Most corporate employees survive purely due to their tongue as only by speaking or talking about many jargons and global comparisons, they can earn applause and appreciations from the top management.  Those who speak a lot are believed to be the best performers or leaders mostly in single man driven corporate.  Only when people use their tongue, they can show, showcase and convince their talents. 

Indeed, tongue definitely plays a role in the daily life of all most all animals and so too for corporate employees.  However, the length of the tongue appears to have less influence or significance as none of the animals with such a large tongue is a known fighter or gossip monger.