1.
first language; native language; mother tongue
The language a person acquires first as a child, typically the language spoken at home. A term used in linguistics and education.
私の第一言語は日本語です。
My first language is Japanese.
第一言語が英語ではない学生も多い。
There are also many students whose first language is not English.
第一言語の習得は幼児期に自然に行われる。
First language acquisition occurs naturally during early childhood.
A linguistic term for the language a person learns first, often used in academic and educational contexts. Abbreviated as L1 in linguistics.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 第一言語の習得: first language acquisition
- 第一言語話者: native speaker (of a first language)
- 第一言語と第二言語: first language and second language
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 母語: mother tongue — the most common everyday term for one's native language
- 母国語: national language of one's home country — slightly different nuance; refers to the language of one's country rather than what one acquired first
- 第二言語: second language (L2) — the complement to 第一言語
USAGE:
More technical than 母語. Used particularly in discussions of language acquisition, bilingualism, and language education policy. Important in contexts where a person may have grown up speaking a different language from the dominant language of their country.