Mother Tongue Attrition: Can You Really Forget Your First Language?

The “mother tongue,” the first language learned, is deeply connected to personal identity, family, and culture. but can this foundational language fade from memory? Linguists are exploring “Original language friction,” where native language proficiency diminishes,especially when people move to regions with different languages. Experts suggest forgetting one’s mother tongue is possible, notably among young children relocating to new linguistic environments. This raises questions about language acquisition, brain plasticity, and the lasting nature of our earliest linguistic imprints.

forgetting your mother tongue, the language learned in childhood, might seem impossible. However, linguistic research reveals that “Original language friction,” the gradual decline in proficiency of one’s native language, is a real phenomenon. This is especially true for individuals who relocate to areas where a different language is predominantly spoken. While the core essence of our first language often remains,the ability to fluently speak,understand,and recall vocabulary can diminish over time. This article delves into the science behind mother tongue attrition, exploring the factors that influence language retention and loss.

The Impact of Early Childhood Relocation

One important factor contributing to mother tongue attrition is early childhood relocation. Children adopted by families in foreign countries provide a compelling example. A 2003 study in the journal Cerebral Cortex examined Korean children adopted by French families between ages 3 and 8. By age 30, these individuals showed no greater understanding of Korean than native french speakers with no exposure to the language.

This research highlights the critical period hypothesis, suggesting early childhood is a sensitive time for language acquisition. When children are immersed in a new language habitat during this period, their brains may prioritize the new language, leading to a decline in their native language skills. The brain’s remarkable plasticity allows it to adapt to new linguistic input, sometimes at the expense of previously learned languages. This adaptation is most pronounced during the early years, making young children particularly susceptible to mother tongue attrition when they relocate.

Age and Language Retention

The age at which an individual moves to a new linguistic environment considerably impacts their ability to retain their mother tongue. The older you are when moving,the more likely you will maintain your mother tongue because you will set a far more sturdy foundation in it, according to Laura Dominguez,a linguistic professor at the university of Southampton in England. She asserts that it is indeed highly improbable for a teenager or adult to wholly lose their native language abilities,such as the ability to form past tense verbs.

Research suggests that individuals become less susceptible to “Original language friction” after reaching puberty, typically between ages 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys. This may be due to the brain’s reduced plasticity after this age, making it less adaptable to new linguistic patterns. As Dominguez explains, Our brain is cooked and becomes less soft and receptive to change. This “cooked” brain, while less adaptable, also provides a more stable foundation for previously learned languages, making it harder for the mother tongue to be completely overwritten by a new language.

vocabulary: The Most Vulnerable Aspect

Even with a solid foundation in one’s mother tongue, certain aspects of language are more prone to attrition than others. Dominguez notes that vocabulary is often the most vulnerable component. Such as,an English-speaking student spending a semester abroad in Spain might find it takes longer to recall specific English words or expressions upon returning home.

Though, this temporary difficulty does not equate to complete forgetting. Dominguez clarifies that it simply requires a little longer for your brain to take it. The brain needs to sort through its “archive cabinet” of vocabulary, distinguishing between the native language and the newly acquired one. Re-immersion in the original language environment facilitates a faster recovery of vocabulary skills. The more frequently a language is used, the easier it is to access and recall its vocabulary. Conversely, infrequent use can lead to a gradual decline in vocabulary recall.

Grammar: More Resistant to Attrition

grammar, conversely, tends to be more resistant to attrition than vocabulary. A 2023 study in the Journal of Language Learning by Dominguez and her colleagues examined Spanish speakers who had been living in English-speaking environments for over 15 years. the study found that these individuals did not alter their use of tense in Spanish, even when it differed from English grammar.

As a notable example, Spanish uses the present tense to describe both regular actions (“I frequently enough run in the morning”) and actions occurring at the moment of speaking (“I sing in the bathroom”). In contrast, English requires the present continuous tense for the latter (“I am singing in the bathroom”). Despite prolonged exposure to English,the Spanish speakers in the study maintained their native grammatical structures. This suggests that the underlying grammatical framework of a language is deeply ingrained and less susceptible to change, even after years of exposure to a different linguistic system.

Second Language Attrition

The principles governing mother tongue attrition also apply to second languages. The extent of initial learning and the duration of study significantly influence the rate of attrition. Antonella Sorace, a professor of developmental linguistics at the University of Edinburgh in England, suggests that individuals might potentially be surprised by how much they remember upon returning to a second language environment.

Consciously, we may feel that we have forgotten everything – our brains know better, Sorace states, highlighting the enduring nature of language learning. Even if fluency has diminished, the underlying knowledge and structures remain, often resurfacing with surprising ease when the individual is re-exposed to the language. This underscores the importance of continued engagement with a language to maintain proficiency and minimize attrition.

Reversion in dementia Patients

In contrast, individuals with conditions like dementia may experience a phenomenon known as reversion, where they revert to using only their original language, even after a lifetime of bilingualism. This can lead to language confusion and a diminished ability to communicate in their second language. Reversion can occur even after decades of fluency in both languages.

This reversion is not simply a case of forgetting; it reflects the neurological damage caused by dementia, which disrupts the brain’s ability to access and process language. The original language, being the most deeply ingrained, may become the only one accessible as the disease progresses. this phenomenon highlights the complex interplay between language, memory, and cognitive function, and underscores the devastating impact of dementia on dialog abilities.

Conclusion

While the potential for mother tongue attrition exists, particularly in early childhood, the enduring nature of our first language is remarkable. Factors such as age, environment, and the specific linguistic skill in question all play a role in determining the extent to which our native language remains accessible. Even in cases where vocabulary or fluency may decline, the underlying grammatical structures frequently enough persist, serving as a testament to the profound and lasting impact of our mother tongue.