mother tongue

Ms Nayimuli said that while growing up she would constantly speak Xhosa, her mother tongue and one of South Africa’s official languages, to “prove her South African-ness”.

Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows.

As influenced as her musical language was by the French Romantics, like Ravel and Debussy, the blues was always her mother tongue.

After observing them at a family dinner, he realised that they felt awkward speaking their mother tongue.

But as he got older, Phoenix says he felt more compelled to use Chinese and being more in touch with his mother tongue.