Mother tongue meaning

Happy International Mother Language Day! There could not be a more appropriate day than today to reflect on the term ‘mother tongue’ – but what does it really mean, especially if you speak more than one language? How should the term be defined in general and what specific meaning does it have to me? Warning: there will more questions than answers in today’s post. There is a wonderful proverb in Swedish “Kärt barn har många namn”, the literal translation being “A beloved child has many names”, which is very true for what is generally called the ‘mother tongue’. One of the definitions is that it is ‘the language which a person has grown up speaking from early childhood’. This is generally a viable definition, but what if you for example move to another language environment or get adopted and forget the language you spoke when growing up – are you then mother-tongue-less? And what if you have learned your ‘mother tongue’ from your father, should you then call it your ‘father tongue’? Some combine the two and call it the ‘parent language’, but this definition stumbles at the first hurdle if your parents speak different languages. Is one of your languages ‘parenter’ than the other? The same conundrum applies to ‘home language’ – in multilingual families there are many languages spoken in the home. ‘Native language’ is another definition, referring to something that has been with you since you were born. The issue is the same as for ‘mother tongue’ – it is applied to languages y...

Learn more about Mother Tongue & Multilingual Education What is Mother Tongue Education? Mother tongue education refers to any form of schooling which uses the language or languages that children are most familiar with, in order to help them learn. This is usually the language that children speak at home with their family. The ‘mother tongue’ does not have to be the language spoken by the mother. Children can and often do speak more than one or even two languages at home. For example, they may speak one language with their mother, another with their father and a third with their grandparents. Other terms used are home language, first language or heritage language. Monolingual schools Although there is overwhelming evidence that children learn best in and through a language they understand well, millions of children around the world are educated in a different language. In fact, the majority of schools offer instruction only in one language. Frequently this is the dominant language of the country. This may not be the majority language spoken in the community at all. In the case of former colonies, it is usually the language of the former colonial power, for example English, French, Arabic, Dutch and Spanish. These are all languages that young children may hear for the first time when they enter school. Children who are not fluent speakers of the school language may be offered some form of language support or no support at all. The latter is also known as ‘sink or swim’. In ...

Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education Globally40 per cent of the populationdoes not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. But progress is being made in multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life. Multilingualism contributes to the development of inclusive societies that allow multiple cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems to coexist and cross-fertilize. The theme of the 2023 International Mother Language Day,“ Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”aligns with recommendations made during the Multilingual education based on mother-tongue facilitates access to and inclusion in learning for population groups that speak non-dominant languages, languages of minority groups and indigenous languages. Events 21 February 2023 The • Enhancing multilingual education as a necessity to transform education in multilingual contexts from early childhood education and well beyond; • Supporting learning through multilingual education and multilingualism in our fast-changing global contexts and in crisis situations including emergencies contexts; • Revitalizing languages that are disappearing or are threatened with extinction. Event at UN Headquarters Tuesday, 21 February 2023, from 3 to 5 p.m. (EST) The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN is organizing a discussion with senior officials from Perma...

“Context” refers to the larger frame of reference into which a text fits. It includes additional biographical information about the author, such as family composition, race, ethnicity, or gender. Context also concerns the broader situation of a particular event, such as how a single conversation between characters fits within a long-term relationship. The immediate context for this essay about Tan’s mother’s use of English is her Chinese heritage, and the broader context includes immigration and second-language acquisition. The term “context” can apply to any elements that are relevant to a text that are not thoroughly developed within the text. Knowing the context often provides clues to interpretation of important aspects of the text or to the author’s intended meaning. The context of a personal Another aspect of context is thematic. In this case, Tan explores second language use by focusing on her mother’s use of English as filtered through her prior knowledge of Chinese. A fuller context for understanding how the mother speaks English could include information about her earlier life in China. Looking at an ever broader context, the reader might consider all Chinese American immigrants of the mother’s generation, or the relationship between immigration and second language acquisition for other nationalities at the same time. See eNotes Ad-Free

Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education Globally40 per cent of the populationdoes not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. But progress is being made in multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life. Multilingualism contributes to the development of inclusive societies that allow multiple cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems to coexist and cross-fertilize. The theme of the 2023 International Mother Language Day,“ Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”aligns with recommendations made during the Multilingual education based on mother-tongue facilitates access to and inclusion in learning for population groups that speak non-dominant languages, languages of minority groups and indigenous languages. Events 21 February 2023 The • Enhancing multilingual education as a necessity to transform education in multilingual contexts from early childhood education and well beyond; • Supporting learning through multilingual education and multilingualism in our fast-changing global contexts and in crisis situations including emergencies contexts; • Revitalizing languages that are disappearing or are threatened with extinction. Event at UN Headquarters Tuesday, 21 February 2023, from 3 to 5 p.m. (EST) The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN is organizing a discussion with senior officials from Perma...

Happy International Mother Language Day! There could not be a more appropriate day than today to reflect on the term ‘mother tongue’ – but what does it really mean, especially if you speak more than one language? How should the term be defined in general and what specific meaning does it have to me? Warning: there will more questions than answers in today’s post. There is a wonderful proverb in Swedish “Kärt barn har många namn”, the literal translation being “A beloved child has many names”, which is very true for what is generally called the ‘mother tongue’. One of the definitions is that it is ‘the language which a person has grown up speaking from early childhood’. This is generally a viable definition, but what if you for example move to another language environment or get adopted and forget the language you spoke when growing up – are you then mother-tongue-less? And what if you have learned your ‘mother tongue’ from your father, should you then call it your ‘father tongue’? Some combine the two and call it the ‘parent language’, but this definition stumbles at the first hurdle if your parents speak different languages. Is one of your languages ‘parenter’ than the other? The same conundrum applies to ‘home language’ – in multilingual families there are many languages spoken in the home. ‘Native language’ is another definition, referring to something that has been with you since you were born. The issue is the same as for ‘mother tongue’ – it is applied to languages y...

Learn more about Mother Tongue & Multilingual Education What is Mother Tongue Education? Mother tongue education refers to any form of schooling which uses the language or languages that children are most familiar with, in order to help them learn. This is usually the language that children speak at home with their family. The ‘mother tongue’ does not have to be the language spoken by the mother. Children can and often do speak more than one or even two languages at home. For example, they may speak one language with their mother, another with their father and a third with their grandparents. Other terms used are home language, first language or heritage language. Monolingual schools Although there is overwhelming evidence that children learn best in and through a language they understand well, millions of children around the world are educated in a different language. In fact, the majority of schools offer instruction only in one language. Frequently this is the dominant language of the country. This may not be the majority language spoken in the community at all. In the case of former colonies, it is usually the language of the former colonial power, for example English, French, Arabic, Dutch and Spanish. These are all languages that young children may hear for the first time when they enter school. Children who are not fluent speakers of the school language may be offered some form of language support or no support at all. The latter is also known as ‘sink or swim’. In ...

Recent Examples on the Web Products that might work for people in languages like English -- like Facebook -- are the equivalent of 4chan (a message board known as a safe haven for hate) in my mother tongue, Tigrinya. — From Cnn Opinion And As Equals, CNN, 27 Apr. 2023 Their kids don’t speak their mother tongue. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2023 Each speaks their mother tongue, with the dialogue subtitled in real time for the audience, while the performers themselves are unable to understand one another beyond the sounds of foreign words that become cues for their individual knowledge of the script. — Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2022 Looking at how people process foreign languages, as opposed to their mother tongue, could be an option as well. — Jennifer Walter, Discover Magazine, 4 Sep. 2019 Members of the group—Frankie Chan, Alton Wong, Lokman Yeung, Stanley Yau, Anson Kong, Jer Lau, Ian Chan, Jeremy Lee, Edan Lui, Keung To, Tiger Yau, and Lo—were mostly brought up in Hong Kong with Cantonese as their mother tongue. — Vivienne Chow, Variety, 9 Mar. 2023 Words and languages are important, especially the mother tongue, because it’s really associated with your body, the physical being. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2021 Today, Hebrew is the official language of Israel and the mother tongue of more than five million people — with nine million speakers around the world. — Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2021 At the chalk clutched in his hand, the lett...

“Context” refers to the larger frame of reference into which a text fits. It includes additional biographical information about the author, such as family composition, race, ethnicity, or gender. Context also concerns the broader situation of a particular event, such as how a single conversation between characters fits within a long-term relationship. The immediate context for this essay about Tan’s mother’s use of English is her Chinese heritage, and the broader context includes immigration and second-language acquisition. The term “context” can apply to any elements that are relevant to a text that are not thoroughly developed within the text. Knowing the context often provides clues to interpretation of important aspects of the text or to the author’s intended meaning. The context of a personal Another aspect of context is thematic. In this case, Tan explores second language use by focusing on her mother’s use of English as filtered through her prior knowledge of Chinese. A fuller context for understanding how the mother speaks English could include information about her earlier life in China. Looking at an ever broader context, the reader might consider all Chinese American immigrants of the mother’s generation, or the relationship between immigration and second language acquisition for other nationalities at the same time. See eNotes Ad-Free

“Context” refers to the larger frame of reference into which a text fits. It includes additional biographical information about the author, such as family composition, race, ethnicity, or gender. Context also concerns the broader situation of a particular event, such as how a single conversation between characters fits within a long-term relationship. The immediate context for this essay about Tan’s mother’s use of English is her Chinese heritage, and the broader context includes immigration and second-language acquisition. The term “context” can apply to any elements that are relevant to a text that are not thoroughly developed within the text. Knowing the context often provides clues to interpretation of important aspects of the text or to the author’s intended meaning. The context of a personal Another aspect of context is thematic. In this case, Tan explores second language use by focusing on her mother’s use of English as filtered through her prior knowledge of Chinese. A fuller context for understanding how the mother speaks English could include information about her earlier life in China. Looking at an ever broader context, the reader might consider all Chinese American immigrants of the mother’s generation, or the relationship between immigration and second language acquisition for other nationalities at the same time. See eNotes Ad-Free