When we speak of certain terms such as First language, native language or mother tongue, what do we intend to say? First language is the language which the child learns first hence from its mother or Parents. It is the language a person learns first. Can we but call that person as the native speaker of the language? If the Parents speak an acquired language for example English and if they communicate that language to the child can we call that language as Mother tongue? If the native speakers speak more than one language to communicate with their neighbours who come from different place than which language can be considered as Mother tongue? Which language is native language and which language can be the first language and which language can be considered as the second language? If all of the languages are learned naturally without formal instruction, such as through cultural immersion before puberty such a language can be called as mother tongue or the native language or the first local language. Often a child learns the basics of his or her first languages from his or her family. The term "mother tongue" should not be interpreted to mean that it is the language of one's mother. In some paternal societies, the wife moves in with the husband and thus may have a different first language, or dialect, than the local language of the husband. Yet their children usually only speak their local language. Only a few will learn to speak their mothers' languages like natives. Mother in this context probably originated from the definition of mother as source, or origin; as in mother-country or land First language learners will be successful in both measurements. It is inevitable that all first language learners will learn a first language and with few exceptions, they will be fully successful. Acquiring a second language occurs in systematic stages. Much evidence has been gathered to show that basic sounds, vocabulary, negating phrases, forming questions, using relative clauses, and so on are developed. This development is independent from input (we do not hear nor read language in this order), independent from learning situation (in the classroom or on the street), The second language has been acquired after childhood age with conscious effort. Learning the second language becomes a great difficulty to the learners also because the teachers of the second language may hold a degree but not efficient in mastering the language skill.
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- http://Hilfer.blog.co.uk
- 2006-05-23 @ 18:26:04
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- http://www.trishul60.blog.co.uk
- 2006-05-24 @ 09:01:02
My daughter's mother tongue is telugu and her husband's mother tongue is tamil but my grand daughter has learnt first to speak in hindi as my son in law is a Lt Commander in Indian Navvy and hindi is the common language of communication between my daughter and my son in law,then she has started speaking in english and then in telugu. she is now 4 years old and she speaks all the three languages and incourse of time she will learn tamil also.The question is what is her mother tongue. I believe it is telugu, but my son in law's parents believe that it is tamil.Better we leave it to the kid.She will decide which is her mother tongue once she grows up.Do you agree?
Hilfer

A language acquired in a natural set up is a Mother tongue. It may not be a local language