mother language

English

Etymology

From Middle English modir langage, equivalent to mother +‎ language.[1]

Noun

mother language (plural mother languages)

  1. Synonym of mother tongue.
    • a. 1569 (date written), Roger Ascham, “[The Second Booke Teachyng the Ready Way to the Latin Tong]”, in Margaret Ascham, editor, The Scholemaster: Or Plaine and Perfite Way of Teaching Children, to Vnderstand, Write, and Speake, the Latin Tong, […], London: […] John Daye, […], published 1570, →OCLC, folio 46, recto:
      Yet neuertheleſſe, the rudenes of common and mother tonges, is no bar foꝛ wiſe ſpeaking. Foꝛ in the rudeſt contrie, and moſt barbarous mother language, many be found can ſpeake verie wiſelie: but in the Gréeke and latin tong, the two onelie learned tonges, which be kept, not in common taulke, but in pꝛiuate bookes, we finde alwayes, wiſdome and eloquence, good matter and good vtterance, neuer oꝛ ſeldom a ſonder.

References

  1. ^ “mother language, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
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