diff --git a/code/datums/accents.dm b/code/datums/accents.dm
index 9baba90c32..ce32aa0884 100644
--- a/code/datums/accents.dm
+++ b/code/datums/accents.dm
@@ -78,23 +78,22 @@
 	speech_args[SPEECH_MESSAGE] = lowertext(message)
 	return speech_args
 
-/datum/accent/bone
+/datum/accent/span
 	var/span_flag
 
-/datum/accent/bone/modify_speech(list/speech_args)
-	speech_args[SPEECH_SPANS] = span_flag
+/datum/accent/span/modify_speech(list/speech_args)
+	speech_args[SPEECH_SPANS] |= span_flag
 	return speech_args
 
 //bone tongues either have the sans accent or the papyrus accent
-/datum/accent/bone/sans
+/datum/accent/span/sans
 	span_flag = SPAN_SANS
 
-/datum/accent/bone/papyrus
+/datum/accent/span/papyrus
 	span_flag = SPAN_PAPYRUS
 
-/datum/accent/robot/modify_speech(list/speech_args)
-	speech_args[SPEECH_SPANS] = SPAN_ROBOT
-	return speech_args
+/datum/accent/span/robot
+	span_flag = SPAN_ROBOT
 
 /datum/accent/dullahan/modify_speech(list/speech_args, datum/source, mob/living/carbon/owner)
 	if(owner)
diff --git a/code/modules/surgery/organs/tongue.dm b/code/modules/surgery/organs/tongue.dm
index 33d143d400..09e6f0ef42 100644
--- a/code/modules/surgery/organs/tongue.dm
+++ b/code/modules/surgery/organs/tongue.dm
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@
 	maxHealth = 75 //Take brute damage instead
 	var/chattering = FALSE
 	var/phomeme_type = "sans"
-	var/list/phomeme_types = list(/datum/accent/bone/sans, /datum/accent/bone/papyrus)
+	var/list/phomeme_types = list(/datum/accent/span/sans, /datum/accent/span/papyrus)
 
 /obj/item/organ/tongue/bone/Initialize()
 	. = ..()
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@
 	icon_state = "tonguerobot"
 	say_mod = "states"
 	attack_verb = list("beeped", "booped")
-	initial_accents = list(/datum/accent/robot)
+	initial_accents = list(/datum/accent/span/robot)
 	taste_sensitivity = 25 // not as good as an organic tongue
 	maxHealth = 100 //RoboTongue!
 	var/electronics_magic = TRUE