I'm having spasmodic contractions of my thoracic cavity

In other words, I've got a cough. A real bad one, so bad, I'm positive I've hacked out a bit of my lungs together with the phlegm. Phlegm - what a funny word. I mean it really describes itself doesn't it? You wouldn't expect phlegm to be pink or sky blue, phlegm says it all - a mix of yellowish, brown, spots of red maybe even a dull green sometimes... And phlegm sounds disgustingly like the thing it is.

The different meanings of phlegm:

1. Thick, sticky, stringy mucus secreted by the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, as during a cold or other respiratory infection.
2. One of the four humors of ancient and medieval physiology, thought to cause sluggishness, apathy, and evenness of temper.
3. Sluggishness of temperament.
4. Calm self-possession; equanimity.

Yes, having phlegm (1) does make me feel like phlegmatic (3). :-) So I looked up more stuff and came up with these gems; a quote and the word in different languages! Just be grateful I decided not to post any pictures. :-p

Having 'Escargot' is French for 'fat crawling bag of phlegm'. Dave Barry (I rather like escargot actually!)

Dutch - slijm, onaandoenlijk gedrag, flegma
French - flegme, mucosité
German n. - Schleim, stoische Ruhe, Phlegma
Greek n. - φλέγμα, φλέμα, (μτφ.) αταραξία, φλέγμα
Italian - muco, catarro
Portuguese n. - fleuma (f), catarro (m)
Russian - слизь, флегматичность
(Spanish n. - flema
Swedish n. - flegma, slem
Chinese n. - 痰, 粘液质, 粘液
Japanese n. - 痰, 粘液, 粘液質, 冷静
Arabic - ‏(الاسم) البلغم : خلط من اخلاط البدن عند الأقدمين‏
Hebrew‬ n. - ‮ליחה, כיח, כבדות, איטיות, אדישות‬