tung

plural tungs · alternative tongue

1. obsoleteObsolete spelling of tongue, both as language and as part of the body.

   … ever exposed to their envy, and the tung of slander …

   1790, Noah Webster, “The Founders' Constitution Vol 1, Chap 15, Doc 44”, in Univ. of Chicago, retrieved 29 Sep 2012

   5 more examples

   I am of this opinion that our own tung shold be written cleane and pure, unmixt and unmangeled with borowing of other tunges, …

   1557 July 16, John Cheke, “"Inkhorn" terms: Sir John Cheke”, in Univ of Victoria, Canada, retrieved 29 Sep 2012

   Our common orthography is incorrect; the true spelling is tung.

   1832, Noah Webster, Edmund Henry Barker, A Dictionary of the English Language, Digitized edition, Black and Young, published 2010, page 542

   … words to be spoken with the understanding, that I may teach others also, than myriads of words, in a tung. ... In the law, it hath been written, That, with other tungs and other lips I will speak to this people, and then they will not hear ...

   1848, Jonathan Morgan, The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Digitized edition, SH Colesworthy, published 2008, page 215

   If they've got anything to say which they want you to hear, let 'em say it out; if not, hold their tungs.

   1872, Hugh Rowley, Sage stuffing for green goslings; or, Saws for the goose and saws, Digitized edition, published 2006, page 159

   English has strength, simplicity, conciseness, capacity for taking words freely from other tungs, and best of all has the greatest literature the world has yet produced.

   2002 Fall, Richard Whelan, quoting Melvil Dewey, “The American Spelling Reform Movement”, in Verbatim, The Language Quarterly, volume XXVII, number 4, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 5

plural tungs · alternative tongue

1. A tung tree.

1. Synonym of Lincoln Island.

   Every island in Hsisha is a veritable treasure island. The Tung Island is the home of large flocks of boobies. As these birds feed on fish, the fishermen are sure to get to the site of large shoals by following the direction of their flight.

   1976, Peking Review, volume 19, →OCLC, page 23, column 2

   5 more examples

   A U.S. military plane intruded into China's air space over the area of Tung Island of the Hsisha Islands in Kwangtung Province between 16:00 hours and 16:03 hours on February 9. A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry has been authorised, in relation to this military provocation by the U.S. military plane, to issue the 482nd serious warning.

   1971 February 10 [1971 February 9], “PRC Issues 482d Serious Warning over U.S. Intrusion”, in Daily Report, number 28, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, sourced from Peking NCNA International Service, →OCLC, page A 14

   “From 1840 hours on March 18, 1972 to 0935 hours on March 20, 1972, one U.S. warship, the George K. MacKenzie intruded into Chinese territorial waters near Tung Island, 16°, 14', 6” north, 112°, 43', 48” east, off the Hsi Sha Islands, Kwantung^([sic – meaning Kwangtung]) Province, China.

   1972 March 24, Huang Hua, quotee, “Memorandum of Conversation, New York, March 24, 1972, 6:05-7:05 p.m.”, in Office of the Historian, archived from the original on 26 Sep 2012, Historical Documents

   According to Japanese sources, Peking has maintained some sort of naval bases on Woody (Yung-hsing) Island and Lincoln (Tung) Island in the eastern Paracels since at least 1958. Several patrol vessels and supply ships were sighted there in mid-1971, along with shore-based radar installations; and the flotilla that clashed with the Vietnamese in 1974 numbered seven ships, including Komar-class gunboats equipped with Styx missiles.

   1977, Selig S. Harrison, “Danger Zones in the South China Sea”, in China, Oil and Asia: Conflict Ahead?, New York: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 192

   Peking had maintained a military presence on two of the Paracel Islands since at least 1958. In mid-1971, several Communist Chinese patrol boats and supply ships were sighted in the vicinity, and there was evidence of the construction of radar and ship-servicing facilities on Yung-hsing and Tung islands. In September 1973, the Saigon government put the Spratly Islands under the jurisdiction of the Phuoc Tuy Province of South Vietnam. This preempted any claim by any other power to the waters between the Spratlys and the continental baseline—effectively including the Paracels under South Vietnam’s jurisdiction.

   1984, A. James Gregor, Maria Hsia Chang, “The Security of Northeast Asia and the "China Connection"”, in The Iron Triangle: A U.S. Security Policy for Northeast Asia, Hoover Institution Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 105

   1. The U.S. side has made a full investigation of the incidents that the Chinese side brought to its attention on March 24, 1972.² The U.S. side has verified that the ship and aircraft in question on the dates cited went within twelve nautical miles of the Paracel Islands but at no time moved closer to the Islands than three nautical miles. The ship and aircraft were conducting surveillance on an infiltration trawler engaged in carrying contraband in the vicinity of Lincoln (Tung) Island in the Paracels. In the interest of U.S.-Chinese relations the U.S. side has issued instructions that henceforth a distance of at least twelve nautical miles should be maintained from the Paracel Islands. This is without prejudice to the U.S. positions either on the territorial sea question or the various claims to the Paracel Islands.

   2006 [1972 April 3], “Message From the Government of the United States to the Government of the People's Republic of China”, in Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969-1972, volume XVII, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 873

   Synonyms: Lincoln Island