Can you roll your tongue?

I’m doing a survey, for a biology lab (we’re studying genetics, blech) on various genetic traits.

So: Can you roll your tongue? Can you do that weird “w” thing with your tongue?

I can roll into a “u”, but I can’t do multiple folds.

Not sure what you mean by the “W” thing - I can roll the tip back to the middle of my tongue…

I can roll my tongue, and do the w thing.

I’d be interested in finding out, NinjaChick, is this because of muscle tone in the tongue that is developed in some people but not in others?

I find it curious some people can do it, but some can’t.

<hijack>
Dammit, I’m over a thousand posts and never even noticed :frowning:
<hijack>

Its one of those “determined by a single gene” traits. Whether or not your nerves are capable of delivering the “roll” command to the tongue is based entirely on whether you have the gene, not on muscle tone.

Though, I must say, my tongue is the oral equivalent of a marathon runner :wink:

Are there any evolutionary advantages to having a tongue you can roll?

I can roll my tongue but can’t do the “W” thing.

I appear to be able to do both. Do I get a prize? :smiley:

I could if I cut it out … :smiley:

roll, yes; w no.

Sure. I hereby bestow upon thee the sacred Swirly Tongue Medal. Please, honor it always.

Cool. I will :smiley:

Hmm… is the doing a “w” thing genetic as well?

I can’t do either.

FWIW, I did this survey for GCSE Biology. Out of our class of seventeen, three couldn’t roll their tongues. We were told it was genetic and discrete - either you can, or you can’t. Of course, much of what I was taught for GCSE has turned out to be “lies-to-children”, so take this with a pinch of salt.

I can do both.

I can roll my tongue, but I can not do the “w”.
I can also turn my tongue sideways both ways.

I can also turn my tongue sideways both ways.

:stuck_out_tongue:

I can roll my tongue, do the W, and turn it both ways.

Just to add to your survey - my sister can roll her tongue, but not do the W. My brother can do neither, and to shoot the “It’s a dominant trait” theory in the foot, my parents cannot roll their tongues either. It isn’t as much of a Mendelian trait as it was initially believed to be.

http://www.discovery.com/area/skinnyon/skinnyon970226/skinny1.html
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/tongroll.html