Klø på tunga
A Norwegian expression used to describe someone who talks excessively — fast, loud, and nonstop — often to the point of exhausting everyone around them. It refers to the urge to speak as if the person literally has an itch on their tongue that can only be scratched by speaking.
It’s not an insult, but a humorous and slightly exasperated way of pointing out that someone is talking way too much.
Cultural Background:
The phrase gained popularity in Norway through everyday family use, but it has deeper roots in a hilarious and instantly recognizable gesture:
One of the first known visual interpretations came from Tormod Bjørnerud, a Norwegian father, who — in a moment of expressive frustration — reacted to his daughter’s rapid talking by performing an unforgettable motion:
He widened his eyes, opened his mouth, stuck out his tongue, and wiggled his fingers in the air like chaotic jazz hands or frantic typing.
At the same time, he let out a drawn-out “lalalala” sound — mimicking the overwhelming wall of words being thrown at him.
This perfectly captured the feeling of verbal overload and became a running symbol in the family. Over the years, his son Marius Bjørnerud developed the phrase “klø på tunga” into a casual but hilarious way of describing people who just can’t stop talking.
It’s not an insult, but a humorous and slightly exasperated way of pointing out that someone is talking way too much.
Cultural Background:
The phrase gained popularity in Norway through everyday family use, but it has deeper roots in a hilarious and instantly recognizable gesture:
One of the first known visual interpretations came from Tormod Bjørnerud, a Norwegian father, who — in a moment of expressive frustration — reacted to his daughter’s rapid talking by performing an unforgettable motion:
He widened his eyes, opened his mouth, stuck out his tongue, and wiggled his fingers in the air like chaotic jazz hands or frantic typing.
At the same time, he let out a drawn-out “lalalala” sound — mimicking the overwhelming wall of words being thrown at him.
This perfectly captured the feeling of verbal overload and became a running symbol in the family. Over the years, his son Marius Bjørnerud developed the phrase “klø på tunga” into a casual but hilarious way of describing people who just can’t stop talking.
• “That guy wouldn’t stop talking about his crypto startup. He seriously klødde på tunga.”
• “You don’t have to say every thought out loud. Slutt å klø på tunga.”
• “After five minutes with the waiter, my friend just said: ‘Han klør på tunga, eller?’”
• “You don’t have to say every thought out loud. Slutt å klø på tunga.”
• “After five minutes with the waiter, my friend just said: ‘Han klør på tunga, eller?’”
Klø på tunga by MARIBJO July 14, 2025
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