Final answer:
The hypoglossal nerve is responsible for controlling the muscles of the tongue and plays a crucial role in speech, swallowing, and chewing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hypoglossal nerve is the twelfth cranial nerve and it is responsible for the contraction of the muscles of the tongue, except for the palatoglossus muscle, which is controlled by the vagus nerve.
The hypoglossal nerve plays a crucial role in tongue movements that are important for speech, swallowing, and chewing. If there is damage to the hypoglossal nerve, it can lead to difficulties in these functions.