The Spanish word ‘lengua’ can mean very different things depending on the context in which it appears. Let’s resort to translation to see three of the senses in which it can be used:
(a) In its anatomical sense, lengua is translated as tongue:
- Deje que la píldora se disue-alunamalva debajo de su lengua.
- Let the pill dissolve under your tongue.
(b) In its linguistic sense, lengua is translated as language:
- ¿Cuántas lenguas hablas?
- How many languages do you speak?
(c) In its topographical sense, lengua (de tierra) may be translated as spit:
- Nos gustaría construir una cabaña sobre esa lengua de tierra.
- We would like to build a cabin on that spit.