# Meaning of sticking your tongue out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252 "2004-05-26T22:52:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/21 "2004-05-27T16:28:06Z")
On a coupla occasions I have had women use the gesture as an erotic “I’d like to get to know you better” type of thing, typically after 1 a.m. in a bar. ---
**Author:** ![jellytoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jellytoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellytoes)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/22 "2004-05-27T16:46:09Z")
Are you sure that they weren’t just throwing up? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/23 "2004-05-27T17:06:24Z")
Yo, **jellytoes** …come to think of it, later that evening passionate kisses tasted kinda foul… ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/24 "2004-05-27T17:22:47Z")
I saw a young stripper on stage sticking her tongue out at various people in the audience, and no, it was not in an erotic way. She did it like a six year-old and had a perpetual grouchy pissed-off look on her face. Seemed to be like “yeah I’m bad for stripping, and you’re pathetic for watching me” kinda thing. The guys seemed to like it, but that was probably due to her other _much more interesting assets_ and how the guys were imagining they’d “discipline” this bratty girl 😛 . ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/25 "2004-05-27T17:36:16Z")
I stuck my tongue out at a woman at a party once, to say “I have no logical response to your argument, but I declare victory anyway.” To which she said “Don’t point that at me unless you intend to use it.” Ended up being quite a fun evening. And add me to the list of folks who are curious about Airman Doors’ lingual deficiency. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/26 "2004-05-27T20:03:18Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Hmmm Hmm hmmmmm … eh? Would it be rude to beg a hijack to explain? H’aint ya got no tongue, boy? You know that small piece of connective tissue that connects your tongue to the base of your mouth, also called the frenulum? Well, mine extends all the way to the tip of my tongue (as does my son’s), and therefore I cannot stick out my tongue in any conventional manner. I can eke out a side of it by twisting my tongue and curling my lips back, but Gene Simmons I am not. This condition is also known as [ankyloglossia](http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/html/tonguetie.shtml), or “being tongue-tied”. Now you know. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/27 "2004-05-27T20:39:23Z")
It can also mean “I’m concentrating.” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![nocturnal\_tick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nocturnal\_tick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nocturnal_tick)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/28 "2004-05-27T20:42:32Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > You know that small piece of connective tissue that connects your tongue to the base of your mouth, also called the frenulum? Well, mine extends all the way to the tip of my tongue (as does my son’s), and therefore I cannot stick out my tongue in any conventional manner. I can eke out a side of it by twisting my tongue and curling my lips back, but Gene Simmons I am not. So what do you do when you get something stuck in your teeth and you don’t have toothpicks? Anyways, I’ve always associated sticking out your tongue with chewing with your mouth open. It’s something we don’t want to see so to do it is to demonstrate a disrespect for some person. Besides it really depend where the tongue is ending up. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/29 "2004-05-27T20:48:59Z")
> [@nocturnal\_tick](#): > > So what do you do when you get something stuck in your teeth and you don’t have toothpicks? I basically just suffer with it until I can take care of it. The nasty part, and maybe this is TMI, is when you eat stuff like peanut butter and it gets stuck between your gums and your lip on the side of your mouth? Well, since I can’t do anything about it with my tongue, I’m forced to surreptitiously use a finger when nobody’s looking. Otherwise I’d have to brush my teeth every five minutes. Such is life. At least it’s not your finger. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/30 "2004-05-27T20:55:05Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > I basically just suffer with it until I can take care of it. > > The nasty part, and maybe this is TMI, is when you eat stuff like peanut butter and it gets stuck between your gums and your lip on the side of your mouth? Well, since I can’t do anything about it with my tongue, I’m forced to surreptitiously use a finger when nobody’s looking. Otherwise I’d have to brush my teeth every five minutes. > > Such is life. At least it’s not your finger. I really hate to continue this hijack (because I kinda expect I might be part of the cause of it having tongued the OP in another thread) but i need to ask–can’t you just cut the dang frenulum back to a more common position? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/31 "2004-05-27T21:06:28Z")
Nope. It doesn’t impede my speech significantly or my ability to eat, and I don’t really feel the need to learn how to talk again after removing something that I have adapted to. Besides, it makes for an interesting curiosity. OTOH, we’ll be keeping a close watch on Aaron, and if it becomes an impediment we’ll get it taken care of. Otherwise it’ll be like father, like son. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/32 "2004-05-28T02:39:09Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Yet Robyn still married you? :eek: > > Joking!!! He’s got other, um, talents. 😉 Robin ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/33 "2004-05-28T02:42:54Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Nope. It doesn’t impede my speech significantly or my ability to eat, and I don’t really feel the need to learn how to talk again after removing something that I have adapted to. > > Besides, it makes for an interesting curiosity. > > OTOH, we’ll be keeping a close watch on Aaron, and if it becomes an impediment we’ll get it taken care of. Otherwise it’ll be like father, like son. WRT Aaron, his pediatrician is disinclined to do anything for it. It hasn’t affected his feeding ability, and so far, he has no significant speech impediments that would justify such a procedure. And, so far as anyone can tell, Aaron’s frenulum doesn’t go to the tip of his tongue like his father. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/34 "2004-05-28T03:03:03Z")
In **Tibet, sticking out the tongue** is considered a **friendly greeting** and is perfectly **polite**. You’d be rude if you didn’t stick out your tongue. One explanation I’ve heard for this is that it demonstrates you’re not a poisoner. Poisoners are popularly supposed to have black tongues. (Maybe from the idea that, like Vizzini, they dose themselves with minute, gradually increasing amounts of poison to render themselves immune to it.) So if this explanation is true, it would be like holding up your hand to wave “Hi!”, a gesture that originated as a way to show you’re not holding any weapons. To communicate “I am a friend, or at least I am not an enemy.” ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/35 "2004-05-28T04:04:21Z")
> [@bughunter](#): > > I’ve always thought of it as a symbolic “I spit on you” gesture, and thus the reason why it is considered extremely rude by some in the US. Who considers it to be extremely rude, and what do they take it to mean? While it is a mildly disrespectful gesture, I can’t really see anyone being \*offended \* by it. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/36 "2004-05-28T08:17:00Z")
Apparently in the Maori culture it has an altogether different meaning than the childish “I don’t like it” gesture. In the outstanding movie “UTU” it is done by Maori warriors several times in a sort of ritualistic manor. Perhaps the OPer who hails from New Zealand can shed some light as to its significance. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/37 "2004-05-28T10:11:51Z")
Right, :smack: so my memory of _Princess Bride_ was slightly garbled. It wasn’t Vizzini who prepared himself with minute amounts of poison, it was Westley. Anyway, you get my point, I hope… ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/38 "2004-05-28T15:48:26Z")
There is a trend in Japan, I’m told, of frenulum reduction surgery, especially in children. The idea is to make the Asian tongue more adaptable to the “L” and “R” sounds in learning English. It’s controversial, and some surgeons say it’s not necessary. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/39 "2004-05-28T19:43:56Z")
One of the Polynesian love gods (IIRC Kuuipo Aloha) is generally depicted with the soles of his feet and his tongue sticking out. These represent both the defiance of authority that love can inspire in humans, and the way that love itself seems to follow no rules. So it ain’t just a European behavior. **Airman Doors** I ask this in complete seriousness. Does ankyloglossia cause problems during medical examinations? Is the doctor still able to get a decent look at your tonsils and such? Umm… Could you start an Ask The thread? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252/40 "2004-05-28T19:45:11Z")
> [@cookeze](#): > > To quote my ex-wife, “When a girl sticks her tongue out at you, it means she wants to kiss you.” Years ago, I was riding a bus and looking out the rear window. In a car following the bus a young woman was riding in the front seat; when she saw me she stuck her tongue out, with her mouth wide open around it; she smirked, as well as one can under those cirucmstances, and she wagged the tongue around and rolled her eyes wildly. She was accompanied by two young guys; I wonder what she would have done if I had shown her _ **my** _ outsize, “geographic” tongue…: :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-sticking-your-tongue-out/247252.md?page=3)