We mentioned that lovely fleshy thing in the back of your throat earlier when we described how milk comes flying from your nose when you laugh. It’s called the uvula, from the Latin word uva, which means grape. If you take a look in the mirror, you will notice that this skin flap is shaped like a tear or a grape. If yours has a little fish tail, don’t panic, that’s called a bifid uvula and it’s not a problem at all.

The uvula is an interesting little thing. The uvula has its own little muscle, the muscularis uvula, which allows it to move and change shape. This prevents food from going down the wrong way, and it also has a minor role in speech. Some fingers believe the uvula helps them produce a vibrato.

Don’t worry if your uvula is swollen. Many things can cause this including: tonsillitis, viral infections if the throat, allergies, or trauma.

If you are passing through Los Angeles, Billy can introduce you to his close friend who will be happy to show you that he has no uvula. No, he wasn’t maimed at birth, it was removed in a procedure called a uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Try saying that five times fast. Removal of the uvula is performed as a treatment for sleep apnea or excessive snoring.