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Weekend


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February 9, 2001

Strange But True!

  • A weekly column of incidental information, off-the-wall observations and other random facts about the world.
    • By BILL SONES AND RICH SONES, PH.D.
    Special to the Journal

    Q. “It’s on the tip of my tongue,” people say. But where is it really? Do deaf-mutes have tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) experiences?

    A. Nearly every language has such a phrase, and nearly all point to the tongue or mouth, says Texas A&M University psychologist Steven M. Smith. Familiar-type general information questions often prompt TOTs, especially when it is suggested the questions are easier than they really are, making the answer feel deceptively close.


     
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