Variance: What's In Your Mouth

I am in a training session this week for Knight Thompson Speechwork. One of the activities was so much fun, I am prompted to offer a version of it here. You will want a clean spoon and a mirror or your phone.

Describe the inside of your mouth in language. Using the feeler in there (your tongue) explore the surfaces. What shape is the cavity? How many different types of tissue can you feel? Which surfaces are hard and which are flexible?

Now get your spoon. Use it to bring attention to the tongue itself. Does the tip have a different sensation than the edge? Are there different sensations just behind the tip and as you move further back on the tongue? If you breathe in your mouth right now, what do you feel?

Finally, get out a mirror or your phone camera and look in your mouth. Stick your tongue way out and move it around. Observe the way your tongue is formed. How many distinct areas do you see? What color is it? How long or wide is it? Now say something -- Anything.

Observe what a little observation and awareness do to your speech.