Short definition: the mother tongue(s) is/(are) the language(s) one has learned first (provided it is a language one can express oneself fully in) and/or (voluntarily) identifies with.
A first language, native language or mother tongue is the language that was learned first by the person. In terms of that view, the person is defined as a native speaker of the language, although one may also be a native speaker of more than one language if all of the languages are learned without formal education, such as through cultural immersion before puberty. Often a child learns the basics of his or her first languages from his or her family.
http://www.answers.com/topic/first-language
http://www.terralingua.org/Definitions/DMotherTongue.html
http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/bilingualism/g/mothertongue.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_tongue
A first language, native language or mother tongue is the language that was learned first by the person. In terms of that view, the person is defined as a native speaker of the language, although one may also be a native speaker of more than one language if all of the languages are learned without formal education, such as through cultural immersion before puberty. Often a child learns the basics of his or her first languages from his or her family.
http://www.answers.com/topic/first-language
http://www.terralingua.org/Definitions/DMotherTongue.html
http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/bilingualism/g/mothertongue.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_tongue
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