Saturday, June 6, 2009

Tongue Rolling

My kids like to make fun of me because I can't roll my tongue (bring the sides up toward the middle - see the son's example below).

They like to have me try to do it and then all laugh because I can't. I think it was in a biology class in college where I first learned that this is a hereditary trait. (There is some question as to whether or not this is true, but true or not it's fun to see who can and can't do it.) We traced my inability to perform this supposedly simple trick to my Grandma Christiansen on my mom's side. She couldn't do it either. We would both try and try. It just doesn't happen. Since this is a recessive trait, there has to be someone on my dad's side who couldn't do it as well. We never discovered who that was.

My kids like to show off their tongue rolling ability. Even the son-in-law was trying to get into the act.

So, can you roll your tongue?

1 comment:

Angela said...

In our family only Megan (age 4) can do it. I don't feel bad about not being able to do it. In my opinion rolling your tongue looks wierd. You and I are lucky we can't do it.