After overviews concerned with TONGUE and THROAT, it is timely to explore ideas in MOUTH as well as KISS, LIP and SALIVA.

The ideas in MOUTH convey concepts of cavity and CHEEK. MOUTH or MASTAX in Greek point to Spanish MASTICAR or mastication or CHEWing. In old Dutch, German and English, the roots CEOWAN and COWE strongly point toward chewing, cheek and COW. In any case, strong cheeks help chewing. There are also CHEEKY people, who CHEW in public. Gum chewers may not realize that they are rude and that they are honoring General Santa Anna who after "El Alamo" took refuge in the US and is credited with having popularized the chewing of chicle gum.

A more scientific term for mouth is OS, not to be confused with OS as in OSEOUS, OSARIUM or OSTEOLOGY which refer to bones and skeletons in contrast to OSTIUM and OSTOMY which refer to CAVITY and MOUTH as any opening.

The mouth or OS extends toward ORAL and ORACLE. It is self evident that politicians often are ORATORS but rarely are true prophets or ORACLES. In fact, most voters know that politicians tend "to blow their own horn" and that "talk is cheap". Similar concepts are inherent in BUCCA and BUCCINATOR which stress ideas of "empty" and "trumpeter".

BUCCA or BOCA in Spanish imply mouth or opening and BOCADO means a little morsel. Bucca also means "cheek" or "that which can swell" (with air or food). Buccinator muscles are those needed to blow a trumpet. Popular poets also created BUCCONIS to characterize those who have a "big mouth".

BUCKLE is a device derived from BACCULA or "little cheek" and denotes devices to fasten an opening like the OS, BOCA, BUCCA. Also note BACCULA, which underscores that "plugging" a "big mouth" may be a good idea.