What is the hanging projection of tissue at the border of the soft palate called?

The hanging projection of tissue at the border of the soft palate is called the uvula. This small, teardrop-shaped appendage plays a significant role in various bodily functions, including speech and swallowing. It assists in preventing food from entering the nasal cavity during swallowing by moving upward with the soft palate. The presence of the uvula is also important for the proper articulation of certain sounds in speech.

The frenulum refers to the small fold of tissue that secures the movement of a mobile organ in the body, such as the one under the tongue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Lingua, which generally refers to the tongue in Latin, does not pertain to the hanging tissue at the soft palate. The palatine tonsils, located on either side of the throat, are lymphoid tissues that are involved in immune function and are not the same as the uvula. These distinctions clarify why the uvula is the correct answer in the context of the soft palate.