Home page » Phraseologisms » The meaning and origin of the phraseological unit “Pip on your tongue”
Author: Maria Znobishcheva
Philologist, candidate of philological sciences, poet, member of the Union of Writers of Russia. Date of publication: 07/12/2019
The Russian language has always been great and powerful. If in Rus' they wanted to wish someone good or bad, they didn’t go to great lengths for words. Many figurative expressions were born from such wishes.
What did they mean when they said “Tip your tongue!” , and what does this phrase mean now? It's time to figure it out.
The meaning of phraseology
This phraseological unit is used when they are afraid that a frightening or unpleasant thought expressed by someone will come true.
Nowadays, of course, no one wants something to actually jump out of the speaker’s tongue, but in the not-too-distant past the expression had a very direct and specific meaning: “Let a sore appear in your mouth so that you don’t talk all sorts of things.” nonsense!
In what cases is it appropriate to use an idiom? Well, for example, when a neighbor makes unfavorable predictions about the future of your children: “Your children are so tame. Never mind, in ten years you’ll be running around looking for them all over the city.”
Or when an envious competitor predicts the collapse of a well-started business. Both the predictors want to say: “Tip your tongue! Keep quiet, don’t croak, otherwise it will really come true.”
Why did the expression “tip your tongue” appear?
Before you cook chicken for dinner, take a close look at its tongue. You will find a small tubercle there, which is the same pip that is present in the phraseological unit “pip on your tongue.” But in our communication with you, it has a slightly different meaning, and refers to those people who talk all sorts of nonsense, make offensive statements about others, and prophesy all sorts of heresy to them. In birds, the pip performs an important function. It helps them eat. Sometimes this organ becomes inflamed and becomes covered with diphtheritic indurations. As a result, the bird starves and dies.
When we say “tap on your tongue,” we recommend that the person carrying heresy shut up and change the topic of conversation, since otherwise a sore will appear on his tongue, in the form of a pimple or ulcer. Well, they call it a pip because it looks like a chicken organ.
It is clear that this wish can be ignored. But if you continue to talk nonsense, then your opponent’s wish may come true. It’s not without reason that they say that all our thoughts materialize, especially if they are accompanied by strong emotions. Well, if so, then get ready for the fact that a liquid-filled blister, hard and painful, will appear on your tongue.
Our ancient ancestors associated the appearance of tipun in a person’s language with his vile and deceitful character. They believed that it appears only in those who constantly lie and try to offend someone with their unflattering statements.
According to another opinion, pip is a simple phraseological unit that is not directly related to the sore. By saying this, we are trying to silence the person who is speaking heresy.
You've probably read about a special type of execution for traitors. Molten lead was poured into their mouths. Tapping is a similar, though less severe, punishment for humans. It also brings him pain and suffering.
At a certain period of time, the wish “peck your tongue” was classified as a special type of damage. They even tried to judge such people. Although, we do not have reliable facts about this. In modern conditions, this phraseological unit has a different interpretation. It calls on a person to stop lying, and has nothing to do with illness. Although, some linguists classify this expression as a curse word and do not recommend using it in relation to your opponent. It is better to ask him to stop talking nonsense in simple words. At the same time, this phraseological unit is quite established. This is one of the ways a person expresses his extreme indignation at the behavior of his interlocutor.
Origin of phraseology
Linguists have several assumptions about where the word “tipun” came from in our language. In the etymological dictionary of M. Vasmer we find a hypothesis according to which “pip” comes from the German “pips” (“disease”).
F. Milosic suggests that the common Slavic designation for a bump, a bulge (“pip”, “pipot”) is taken as a basis. In V. Dahl’s dictionary the verb “tip” is recorded - that is, “peck”, “pinch”. It is derived from the name of the hard part of a bird's tongue, with the help of which chickens and the like grind up swallowed grains.
A pip is an overgrown seal that can be regarded as a disease of poultry.
From the second half of the 16th century, purulent ulcers on the tongue began to be called pipunami. The reason for their appearance was considered to be foul language and any other verbal intemperance or impurity.
If a person gossips, slander, slander, wishes harm to others, lies and distorts other people’s statements, he cannot avoid sores in the mouth. Our ancestors firmly believed in this.
The wish for a tap on the tongue is of an abusive nature and comes from a pagan ritual of scaring away evil spirits. However, the idea of the material embodiment of everything bad and retribution for it was also reflected in the folk-Orthodox picture of the world.
From the point of view of ordinary people, bad lips and unclean tongue fully deserved momentary punishment “here and now.” So that it would be discouraging.
Nowadays, it is customary to interpret phenomena from a material point of view. The appearance of pips, medically called glossitis, is associated with poor oral care.
The cause of inflammation and suppuration can be dirty hands, unwashed fruits and vegetables, sunflower seeds, as well as mechanical damage to the palate, lips, tongue, gums, and mucous membranes.
Sometimes glossitis gives a person a signal about the presence of serious diseases in the body, so when pips appear, it is better to run not to a fortune teller, but to a doctor.
The seal on the tongue should be healed in a timely manner to prevent the infection from spreading and becoming chronic.
A clean mouth is the key to health. But it’s probably worth taking care of the cleanliness of your lips: spiritual health depends on it.
Medications.
If you know why the pip appeared, the way to fix the problem will be more or less obvious. A therapist or dentist will help determine the cause and prescribe treatment. But if a person has not solved the problem with glossitis for too long, they also resort to the help of a surgeon. In some cases, grinding the edges of the tooth will help, and in some cases, medications will help. They can be antiviral, antifungal, decongestant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory (the latter is prescribed at elevated temperatures). Antiseptics are useful to relieve pain. If glossitis has become severe, antibiotics are prescribed. Chlorhexidine, furatsilin solutions and potassium permanganate for rinsing, as well as stomatophyte or oxolinic ointment are often used. If the patient has suffered from an acute respiratory infection or the flu, after which pip appears, a course of vitamins is prescribed in order to bring the immune system back to normal.
You may also be interested in: Effect and efficiency - what are they and the differences
Synonyms
When we want to ask someone not to predict failure in advance, we can use one of the following expressions:
- don't croak;
- so that your tongue dries up (dries to the roof of your mouth);
- don’t worry, Emelya;
- shut up the fountain;
- stop talking nonsense.
Foreigners stop people who speak intemperately like this:
- bite your tongue (English) - bite your tongue;
- Halt Maul (German) – stop your face.
Rough, but very intelligible. Nobody wants to hear bad things addressed to them. Well, this just means that people have not stopped believing in the power of words.
Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut than to feel the pain in your mouth of a pip that someone sent onto our tongue in indignation.
Treatment with traditional recipes.
Do not forget about traditional medicine, which can have an additional effect on the affected area. Compresses are very effective for glossitis. Liquid honey, known for its antibacterial effect, toothpaste with propolis and calcium, as well as various oils are applied to a gauze napkin: sea buckthorn, peach, burdock, rose hips, eucalyptus. Keep the compress for about three to five minutes. In addition to potassium permanganate or chlorhexidine, you can rinse your mouth with potato juice, or natural infusions, for example, from oak bark, celandine and St. John's wort, sage and basil, raspberry leaves, mallow, coltsfoot.
Chamomile, calendula, nettle, horseradish leaves and coriander have anti-inflammatory and healing effects. As an alternative, a piece of propolis is also suitable, provided that it is not left in the mouth for longer than 30–40 minutes. An ointment made from raw potatoes, mashed and diluted in vegetable oil, can also be of great benefit. It is applied in the same way as a regular compress. And so that nothing interferes with treatment, doctors advise excluding fried, spicy, salty, sour and smoked foods from the diet for a while. You should only drink warm, non-carbonated drinks.
Other phraseological units
Sewn with white threads
The motives for action are obvious, and the goals lie on the surface.
Lead by the nose
Deceive, manipulate, giving rise to false hopes and expectations in a person.
Sherochka with a masherochka
Very close girlfriends or friends who are always together and understand each other well.
Beat your head
To idle, to spend time idly.
All phraseological units
A book from the authors of this article!
Collection: “100 popular phraseological units of the Russian language”
More details
Reasons for appearance
Glossitis can be completely different - depending on the reason that provoked its appearance. Inflammation on the tongue can have different shapes, colors and intensity. Here are some factors that may cause the development of an inflammatory process in the tongue area.
- Quite often, tipun develops as a result of trauma to the mucous membrane of the tongue. You can cut your tongue on the edge of a sharp candy wrapper or by licking the film from the top of the yogurt. The tongue can be bitten, damaged by fish bones and even burned. If bacteria enters an open wound, inflammation begins to develop in that area.
- Sucking on candy can also cause a pip on the tongue. This also includes seeds and overly spicy, salty and smoked foods.
- Any allergic reactions to food or hygiene products can develop from a simple ulcer into a source of inflammation.
- Alcohol and smoking also contribute to the development of tipun, since nicotine contains heavy salts that corrode the mucous membrane. Alcohol also corrodes the soft tissues of the tongue. This also includes using alcohol-based mouthwash too often.
- Sometimes pip occurs against the background of dental diseases - periodontitis, stomatitis, gingivitis, etc.
- Sometimes incorrectly installed crowns or braces lead to inflammation.
- Very often, various wounds and ulcers on the tongue appear due to a lack of vitamins.
- Sometimes glossitis indicates a malfunction of the liver or gallbladder, or disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Very often, a pip on the tongue occurs due to improper and insufficient oral hygiene. The tongue should be brushed as regularly as your teeth to rid it of plaque, food debris and bacteria.
- Sometimes various ulcers and inflammations on the tongue indicate intestinal dysbiosis and decreased immunity.
- Often the cause of the development of glossitis can be infectious diseases such as measles, rubella, lichen, syphilis, scarlet fever, etc.
- Anomalies in language development can also be a congenital pathology.
- Often various inflammations appear in a pregnant woman - after all, her immunity decreases during the period of bearing a child.
- Worm infestation is another common cause of various ulcers on the tongue.
How to get rid of it as quickly as possible and prevent its occurrence?
To achieve a rapid therapeutic effect and reduce symptoms, as well as to prevent relapse, it is necessary to follow a number of medical recommendations.
What to do:
- It is necessary to treat the affected area of the tongue with sea buckthorn oil every half hour
Eliminate solid foods from your diet.
- Consume dishes with rare and liquid consistency.
- Do not drink hot or strong drinks.
- Avoid drinking alcohol.
- Reduce or quit smoking.
- Do not eat hot and spicy foods.
- Enrich your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Brush your teeth with toothpaste twice a day.
- Rinse your mouth after every meal.
- Apply toothpaste to the tip and leave it until the burning stops completely.
- Cauterize the pimple with ethyl alcohol or iodine.
- Treat the affected area of the tongue with sea buckthorn oil every half hour.
- For allergic etiology of glossitis, take an antihistamine.
Important! If emergency treatment methods at home are unsuccessful, you should immediately consult a doctor. This will prevent the development of a chronic form of pathology and its complications.
What to do to avoid getting sick
To prevent the occurrence of pip, you need to slightly adjust your habits:
- maintain oral hygiene, paying attention to teeth and gums;
- when brushing your teeth, do a light massage of the gums to improve tissue trophism;
- visit the dentist regularly and undergo general examinations;
- balance nutrition;
- maintain cleanliness in the kitchen and apartment;
- Lead an active lifestyle and give up bad habits forever.
Following these recommendations will help improve your overall immunity and will be the first step towards getting rid of health problems.
What is this - pip?
A pip is a hardening on the tip of a bird's tongue that helps it peck at grains. Its growth is a disease.
Hard pimples, ulcers on the human tongue, are also called pimples, by analogy with bird growths.
According to superstitious beliefs, tipuns appear in deceivers and liars or those who verbally offended an innocent person.
