mother tongue

American  

[muhth-er tuhng, muhth-er tuhng] / ˈmʌð ər ˈtʌŋ, ˈmʌð ər ˌtʌŋ /

noun

1. the language first learned by a person; native language.

2. mother language.

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mother tongue British  

noun

1. the language first learned by a child

2. a language from which another has evolved

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Etymology

Origin of mother tongue

1350–1400; Middle English moder tonge

Example Sentences

The Kenyan's work spanned six decades and two languages - first English, and then his mother tongue, Kikuyu.

From BBC

He dropped his English name, James, and resolved to write only in the language of the Kikuyu people, his mother tongue.

From The Wall Street Journal

It just created this real, almost, like, subconscious intimacy because it’s the mother tongue.

From Los Angeles Times

At the time, Adamu argued that pupils grasped concepts more readily when taught in "their own mother tongue" - a view supported by numerous UN studies on early childhood education.

From BBC

As the young children enthusiastically sang out phrases, Esau interjected occasionally to correct their pronunciation of the distinct sounds and deep clicks of her mother tongue, of which she is the last first-language speaker.

From Barron's

Related Words

• first language