Have you ever tried talking to a toddler? If yes, you may have noticed that they respond to you in a language of their own. Have you wondered how they learned to respond like that? Research shows that mother tongue is the first language babies learn while they are still inside the womb. It’s the language they grow up knowing and communicating with the world.
As we grow up, we may learn different languages but the comfort of talking in our mother tongue (which can also be their native language) is unmatchable. Furthermore, mother tongue plays an important role in building our personality and influencing our cultural identity.
Why do languages die?
With the advent of globalization, it has become imperative for us to explore foreign languages. But that should not push us to alienate our native languages. Languages are not only a medium of communication but are also powerful tools for preserving our culture and heritage.When a language dies, a part of the culture also dies with it.
| Did You Know?
When Boa Sr, the last living member of a 65,000-year-old tribe in the Andaman Islands died in 2010, it was the end of Aka-Bo, one of the world’s oldest languages. |
The impact of globalization is such that the indigenous people, also known as the First Nations’ people, have either lost or are in grave danger of losing their mother tongue. According to a UN report, at least 43 percent of the 6000-plus languages spoken around the world are endangered. In India alone, there are around 600 potentially endangered languages.
To prevent languages from becoming extinct, the UN introduced the International Mother Language Day in 1999. It is celebrated every year on February 21. The day also commemorates the death of four students who lost their lives fighting for the right to use their mother tongue Bengali in Dhaka.
Nearly half of the world’s 6,500 languages are endangered. Experts predict that by 2050 most of the endangered languages will have become extinct. Let’s explore what we can do to protect our native languages.
Every language is like a code. In it, are the myths, lore, stories, and ancient wisdom. Languages have evolved over time but archaic words still exist in the annals of literature, for they are preserved. Speaking of languages have you ever wondered why we have silent letters in English?
Do tell us all about your mother tongue and how has it helped you learn and grow!
Books are Tanaya Goswami’s first love and cheesecakes come a close second. Talking about movies, music, calligraphy, politics, and Elon Musk will get you listed under the friends’ section of her diary. Ever since moving on from her job as an English lecturer, she spends her time at BYJU’S crafting stories filled with emotion and sprinkled with sarcasm. Outside of work, she’s either learning something new (French, most recently!) or is curled up with a book and a cup of coffee. She firmly believes that discovering what you don’t know is the key to knowledge and is constantly working towards improving herself. Drop in a line at storyweavers@byjus.com if you liked her stories, have something nice to say, or if you have compelling ideas to share!
Arya C is a 4th grader who talks about her transition from the US to India and how BYJU`S has helped her at that. She also loves how BYJU`S has made learning a lot more fun.
Meet Sourabh who has a ton to say about his BYJU`S learning experience. His love for quizzes, games and other fun activities are paying off!
V Shriya is a class eight student who has been using BYJU’S for a year now. She shares her experiences with using the app and how it has helped her in improving her academic performance.
Aanvi from class 9 has been with BYJU`S for just 6 months and hear what she has to say about her learning experience with the app.
Comments
Avinash
April 16, 2019
My mother tongue is Bengali. I am very proud of it.
Thanasree
March 6, 2019
perfect ??
Laasya Sree
March 3, 2019
I learn Sanskrit language in school
Sreekar
February 28, 2019
Telugu is an important in Ap and Ts
sheri
February 28, 2019
I want to be an IAS officer plz write an article?
Vinayakavikhyath
February 27, 2019
That was an interesting matter,mainly the origami bird. Thank you so much BYJU’S
Dhanalakshmi
February 27, 2019
I love my mother tounge?????
Aashi Jayakumar
February 27, 2019
My mother language is Malayalam but I know three more languages now I am trying to learn Sanskrit
Srushti
February 26, 2019
I love my mother?it is really very nice language
Tushar bajaj
February 26, 2019
??Wow! Mine language is hindi
Anushka shreyash shah
February 24, 2019
Marathi as my mother tongue. My mother tongue is sweet to hear speak rich in figures of speech.It has different accent as per different regions still lovable, some times rough, very easy to understand and learn. It has great literature, poems novels. I love my Marathi language and I am proud of it
Divya Dharshini
February 24, 2019
I love my mother language.
Really we want to celebrate the
“International mother language day”
Ranvir Sharma
February 24, 2019
GOOD TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
Shivam
February 24, 2019
Soo true but now in present world in the race of success the language english is the most preffered language but it will never competete with mother toungue.
The comfort what we get while speaking our mother toungue doesn’t match with any language.
Malkani Priyanka
February 24, 2019
Best article.
It can help in studies or in some topics.
?????
Adway Chakraborty
February 23, 2019
I am proud to belong to the only language that had blood shed for it’s existence . I am from Kolkata , and my mother tongue is bengali . My mother language has many poems and songs ,even our national anthem by Rabindranath Tagore ,the greatest poet of all time .
Manish Dahite
February 23, 2019
Hi please write a article on our Indian army how sacrifice there
In Pulwama attack the 44 solider how died please write a article for them
Please please please please mam
Prachi Mishra
February 23, 2019
#thanks a lot byjus #thanks a lot for the learning tree????:):)
Ishwari kadu
February 23, 2019
Thanks byjus for such a interesting and knowledgeable fact about our mother tongue. Thanks a lot! ☺☺
Daphne
February 22, 2019
Please how can I improve my path to achieve my doctor goal,
Shagun
February 22, 2019
Thanks for the information ??
Samiksha Kahali
February 22, 2019
My mother tongue is Bengali and I am very proud to say that I have got such a cultural and famous mother tongue. And I say all the mother tongue are equally important for the Indians. Thanks byjus for such a lovely information ??
Ankeeta
February 22, 2019
My mother tongue is odia and I am from odisha.I love my mother tongue. Everyone should respect their mother tongue and also learn it. Some of my friends doesn’t know their mother and are unable communicate with others in that language mostly with their grandparents and I feel very sad for then so slowly but I am trying to encourage them trying to make them talk in their mother tongue.
Sivani
February 22, 2019
My mother language is ahom and I’m trying to learn ahom language from YouTube because this is not used by our ancestors
shubham
February 22, 2019
My mother tongue is gujrati which is one of the oldest ever in the india. I will never forget my mother tongue. Its a proud to have such a cultured language. Everyone should respect their mother tongue and lead a happy life
Shraddha
February 22, 2019
My mother tongue is Marathi. And I believe that every language is
Very important for my country……….?????????
And thanks Byjus for knowledge…………..
Gayatri
February 22, 2019
My mother tongue is Kannada. I always love to speak kannada with my family and friends. I am really very proud of kannada.
Mariyam Thahira
February 22, 2019
Hey Tanaya! Just wanted to appreciate your efforts… I love reading your articles. They’re almost always enlightening and entertaining. To help us appreciate literature, science and other aspects of knowledge simultaneously, they’ve been efficient tools. Much respect!
S.Swarupa???
February 22, 2019
Yep….It’s absolutely true.I Just love my mother tongue❣️❣️.There is nothing better than it,atleast to me.??
lakshmi
February 22, 2019
Thank you for the information.
Jesvi Maria
February 22, 2019
Yes Byjus,we will always protect our native language.
Thank you so much??
Mansi
February 22, 2019
Its important for all learn our mother tongue language. Thanks for providing us the importance of mother language
I wish all mothers in the world . A very very happy international mother language day. ???
Manisha
February 21, 2019
My mother tongue is Telugu .
But I don’t know how to speak it,except few common words
But I am learning to speak Telugu with the help of my mummy
Although I find it difficult to speak few words but at the same time it’s give
me immense pleasure.
Saatviki Chawla
February 21, 2019
Thank you team byju’s for sharing this information. I didn’t know about this earlier ?
Saatviki Chawla
February 21, 2019
Thank you team byju’s for sharing information about international mother language day.I didn’t know about it earlier??
Isha
February 21, 2019
I’m learning German right now and Hindi is my mother tongue. While learning German I realised that I’m taking so much effort to learn a foreign language when I myself have started to find it a bit hard to speak Hindi continuously for long. It’s crazy how language starts drifting away from us and we don’t even realise it!
Dhruvraj Singh Shekhawat
February 21, 2019
It’s good to know about the language which we have forgotten . Nice information .
Vaibhav singh
February 21, 2019
Quiet informative and interesting……………………………
Thank you byjus for sharing great knowledge………
Esha Bhattacharya
February 21, 2019
Thank you BYJU’s. It was indeed a wonderful article. The mother languages are of great significance since they are the first stepping stone towards our speech. To me, it is one of the inherent traditions. Loved the article! Hope to read some more articles as such.
Riddhiman Dutta
February 21, 2019
I love my mother tongue Bengali
Hinal patel
February 21, 2019
Thanks for this most important information
Hinal patel
February 21, 2019
Thanks for this most important information
About the mother tongue and world’s all
Language
Kanak wasankar
February 21, 2019
Byju’s learning application is the best for learning which helps me to study well and remember all the things
Properly during exams
Swasti
February 21, 2019
We should respect our mother tongue and should talk to our family in our basic language.
Mother tongue is something in which we can express our every single thought or opinion.
Thanks byju’s for this beautiful message which is really important for our developing youth as they should know the importance of our mother tongue
Afifa Kaisar
February 21, 2019
I too ❣️?❣️
Swasti
February 21, 2019
Nice message
We should respect our mother tongue and should talk to our family in our basic language.
Mother tongue is something in which we can express our every single thought or opinion.
Thanks byju’s for this beautiful message which is really important for our developing youth as they should know the importance of our mother tongue
Barira Mahewash
February 21, 2019
Thanks byju’s learning tree ? for sharing information about native language.???I love ???? you byju’s team ???.
Rohit Panwar
February 21, 2019
Garhwali is my mother languageand I proud on my language.
Araman Parida
February 21, 2019
Thanks Byjus for giving me such information about the Native languages
V. Pravalika
February 21, 2019
Thank you team Byjus for such information ????
suman reddy
February 21, 2019
its a very good article about preserving languages..
thank you i more information about this topic for my power point presentation ..
thank you
SUBHAM ROY
February 21, 2019
Hello ,byjus iam subham roy
According to me our knowledge about our mother language is very important because, before learning or practicing any other languages we should need learn our mothertounge at first.
Iam also in the favour of an another speaker here named adarsh.
Not only our mother tongue, we should try to make our concepts clear about different languages and etc
Bharath
February 21, 2019
Thanks for the information ???
Sreesini
February 21, 2019
Thanks for information ???
Nirman Deka
February 21, 2019
Thank you for such a wonderful article.
I am a language freak and that’s why learned three foreign languages which includes Russian, Japanese and German. In total I speak 6 languages, Assamese being my mother tongue.
Anusree
February 21, 2019
My mother tounge is telugu. I enjoy speaking telugu at home. I learn a new word everyday from my mother. I live in Tamilnadu but my mother always insists me to speak in telugu and not Tamil.
Jatinmistry
February 21, 2019
What qualifications required to join Indian Airforce,It is my childhood dream and also I am obsessed with it.
Plz help me to accomplish this dream.
-yours faithfully
Jatin Mistry.
Payal
February 21, 2019
Hey!now-a-days I am also learning
my mother tongue i.e, trying to be
better at it’s pronunciation,
because it is said that
Sindhi is more known for it’s
pronunciation part
Praveen singh
February 21, 2019
Very nice app to learning app.
Adarsh
February 21, 2019
I have learnt many things from my mother language , and the special think about it is that whenever I am in a very happy and joy or sad and off mood ever single word at that time that comes out is my mother tongue and lastly I have learnt to be one of the family members.Thanks byjus for such a fantastic fact.
Subha Shree
February 21, 2019
My mother tongue is Tamil which is one of the oldest ever in the world.
I will never forget my mother tongue. Its a proud to have such a cultured language.
Everyone should respect their mother tongue and lead a happy life
Neha
February 21, 2019
Pls would you help me by saying me what I should for interior designer course
Diva
February 21, 2019
Please do write an article about how to join indian navy as an engineer