First language

The language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from the time of their birth or when they were in the formative years of their development is referred to as their first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue, or L1. Instead of referring to a person's first language, the phrase "native language" or "mother tongue" may be used in some nations to refer to the language or dialect of a person's ethnic group.

A child's identity as a person, member of society, and member of culture are all influenced by the child's first language. The acquisition of a first language has a number of effects, one of which is the facilitation of introspection and the learning of effective social patterns of behaviour and expression. According to research, a non-native speaker may achieve fluency in a targeted language after around two years of immersion; nevertheless, it may take that youngster between five and seven years to reach the same functioning level as their native speaking peers.

The 21st of February was selected by UNESCO to be celebrated as International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.