Mother tongue plays a major role in creating one’s identity; Explain in connection with the
chapter, The Last Lesson.
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Answer:
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his mother language that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela
The age of globalisation has seen thousands of people emigrate to other countries in search of better employment and educational opportunities. Sometimes people migrate in order to escape conflicts at home and to find safer and more stable living conditions abroad. This movement from one place to another affects peoples’ mother tongue.
Language is not simply an assortment of words but an entity that connects an individual to his family, identity, culture, music, beliefs and wisdom. It is the carrier of history, traditions, customs and folklore from one generation to another. Without language, no culture can sustain its existence. Our language is actually our identity.
The mother language plays a crucial role in shaping an individual’s personality as well as his or her psychological development, thoughts and emotions. Our childhood is the most important stage of our lives and children can comprehend concepts and skills that are taught to them in their mother tongue quite fast.
Many psychologists believe that a strong bond between a child and his or her parents (especially the mother) is established through exhibition of love, compassion, body language and verbal communication; language.
According to education specialist, Hurisa Guvercin, “When a person speaks his mother tongue, a direct connection is established between heart, brain and tongue. Our personality, character, modesty, shyness, defects, skills, and all other hidden characteristics become truly revealed through the mother tongue because the sound of the mother tongue in the ear and its meaning in the heart give us trust and confidence”.
Mother tongue the language of heart and mind.
Mother tongue is the language that a person grows up speaking from childhood. It’s also known as the first language or native language. Being fluent in his mother tongue benefits an individual in many ways
A lot of research has suggested that mother tongue education is an important step in language learning for children. In fact, there are studies which show that students who have initially started their learning in their home language, seem to have a better ability to learn other languages and generally develop good language skills later in life. Learning does not start in school. It starts in the home and in the learner's mother tongue. Parents need to communicate with their children in the mother tongue to not just facilitate better learning but also to connect them to their culture and history.