# mother-in-law's tongue



## Encolpius

I was surprised more nationes use the same word for that plant. Do you use the same word for that flower?? What do you call it in your language?

Hungarian = *anyósnyelv* (lit. mother-in-law's tongue)

Czech = *tchynin jazyk* (lit. mother-in-law's tongue) 


http://www.fiskars.com/images/HU/150150_11.gif


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## sokol

Via Wikipedia I found out the Latin name of it (Sansevieria), and German Wiki claims that the name *Schwiegermutterzunge*, meaning literally the same in German, indeed does exist as a variety for this genus.

Personally however I haven't heard that name, ever - so I can't tell you if it is a rather common one or not.


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## Encolpius

a little bit interesting the neigbours don't know that plant. I think the name is from German.


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## Nizo

In *Esperanto*, the plant is called _sanseviero_, from the Latin.  Haven't heard of another name for it.


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## sokol

Encolpius said:


> a little bit interesting the neigbours don't know that plant. I think the name is from German.


Well you know personally I am more one for wild plants, not domesticated ones.  (Or at least I think it isn't a native plant to Austria.)

So me not knowing this one might not be very significant.


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## mimome

It's called mother-in-law tongue in Swedish as well : *Svärmors tunga*


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## Mahaodeh

In Iraq, they call it Halq el-sabi' حلق السبع (lion's mouth)
In Palestine they call it tum el-'asad تم الأسد (lion's mouth also, using alternative words)


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## Frank06

Hi,

In *Dutch* it's even more mysogynistic: Sansevieria trifasciata is called 'vrouwentongen' (women's tongues).

Groetjes,

Frank


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## Juri

Italian: Sanseveria or lingua di suocera
Slovenian: *taščin jezik* or  Laurentijeva Sansevierija .
The plant from Agavaceae family was brought from Afrika by Raimondo di Sangrio, the seventh prince of SanSevero, born 1710.


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## Encolpius

Juri said:


> Italian: Sanseveria or lingua di suocera
> Slovenian: *taščin jezik* or Laurentijeva Sansevierija .
> The plant from Agavaceae family was brought from Afrika by Raimondo di Sangrio, the seventh prince of SanSevero, born 1710.


 
very nice Juri, but what do those words mean???


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## sokol

It is of course - in Slovene - also "mother-in-law's tongue", Encolpius  while the other version of course is following the Latin name.


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## Hakro

In *Finnish*: anopinkieli - literally mother-in-law's tongue.

The reason for the name is obvious: the leaves of the plant are long and sharp.


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## elroy

Mahaodeh said:


> In Iraq, they call it Halq el-sabi' حلق السبع (lion's mouth)
> In Palestine they call it tum el-'asad تم الأسد (lion's mouth also, using alternative words)


 حلق is "throat," isn't it?


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## OldAvatar

Romanian has it too, but it is a different sort of cactus (Opuntia humifusa):
limba soacrei


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## Mahaodeh

elroy said:


> حلق is "throat," isn't it?


 
Yes, but in Iraqi collequal they also use it as mouth.


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## Rallino

In Turkish it's: *Paşakılıcı* _(lit. Pasha's sword)



_


> In Iraq, they call it Halq el-sabi' حلق السبع (lion's mouth)
> In Palestine they call it tum el-'asad تم الأسد (lion's mouth also, using alternative words)


In Turkish, there is the plant Aslanağzı (Lion's mouth), but it's different.


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## ahmedcowon

Mahaodeh said:


> In Iraq, they call it Halq el-sabi' حلق السبع (lion's mouth)
> In Palestine they call it tum el-'asad تم الأسد (lion's mouth also, using alternative words)



In Egypt, it is called جلد النمر geld en-nemr (tiger's skin)




Rallino said:


> In Turkish, there is the plant Aslanağzı (Lion's mouth), but it's different.



The same in Arabic, Hanak as-sab' حنك السبع (lion's mouth)


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## apmoy70

In Greek:

*«Σανσεβιέρια»* [sansevi'eri.a] (fem.).
Never heard it as _mother-in-law's tongue_, which when translated in Greek is *«γλώσσα της πεθεράς»* ['ɣlossa tis peθe'ras]


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## vianie

Encolpius said:


> Czech = *tchynin jazyk*





Juri said:


> Italian: Sanseveria or *lingua di suocera*



  Then, Slovak term is a combination of these ones  *svokrin jazyk*


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## Maroseika

In *Russian *it is called:
тёщин язык (mother-in-law's tongue)
змеиная кожа (snake's skin)
щучий хвост (pike's tail)


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## AutumnOwl

mimome said:


> It's called mother-in-law tongue in Swedish as well : *Svärmors tunga*


It's also known as bajonettlilja (bayonet lily) in Swedish.


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## L'irlandais

Sansevieria trifasciata is also called "snake plant" in English.

Native to Southern Nigeria to West Central Tropical Africa.
It was originally cultivated as Bowstring Hemp, at a time when bows and arrows still had a military application here.

It also appears that "dumb-cane" or "tuft-root" is known as mother-in-law's tongue plant, thoiugh it's an entirely different species (Dieffenbachia seguine)


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## oveka

In *Ukrainian *it is called:
*Сансев’єрія*
тещин  язик
щучий хвіст
сансев’єра


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## AutumnOwl

L'irlandais said:


> Sansevieria trifasciata is also called "snake plant" in English.
> 
> It also appears that "dumb-cane" or "tuft-root" is known as mother-in-law's tongue plant, thoiugh it's an entirely different species (Dieffenbachia seguine)


It's the Sansevieria that's the mother-in-law's tongue in Sweden.

The Diffenbachia is known as _prickblad _(dotted leaves) here.


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