Mother tongue shapes who we are

广东 戴晓明

保护母语，就是守护自己的精神家园，也是守护自己赖以生存的文化基因。

主题语境：母语的重要性 篇幅：333词 建议用时：7分钟

1There are some 7,000 languages spoken worldwide,each unique, using different sounds, vocabularies and structures.Charles the Great said,“To have a second language is to have a second soul.”This begs the question: Does the language we speak shape who we are?As it turns out,yes.

2In societies, such as the United States or Western Europe, self-expression and language precision are valued.Asian cultures, on the other hand, prefer an indirect form of communication.Words like“perhaps”and“maybe”are used more than“yes”or“no”.Americanism takes an informal approach to communication.Therefore, it's OK to refer to a stranger or a boss as“you”.However, the Thai language has 12 forms of the same pronoun, which are related to different status.In this way,languages are essential in leading any culture.

3People who speak different languages notice different things, depending on the constructs of their mother tongue.In English,it's OK to say,“She broke the glass.”But in a language like Spanish, you'd probably go with,“The glass broke.”The same incident produces two different responses.English speakers will remember who's at fault, because their language asks them to, while Spanish speakers are more likely to remember it was an accident.

4Professor Jim Cummins has written extensively on mother tongues.For Jim Cummins,the stronger our home language is,the easier it is for us to learn others.Of course,research also shows that being bilingual gives people many advantages in life.Linguist Julien Leyre writes that learning another language develops our ability to understand the mental world of another person,based on the language the person uses,and how that world is different from our own.

5Our mother tongue is central to how we think,what we know and who we are.Like us,languages are living things that change over time and must be cared for to survive.By doing so, we protect not just the linguistic structures or vocabularies we use, but the culture,knowledge and power behind them.

Reading Check

1.Why are“Americanism”and“the Thai language”mentioned in paragraph 2?

A.To tell the cultural differences between them.

B.To indicate a language is a guide to a culture.

C.To stress American expressions are informal.

D.To reveal a language is associated with status.

2.How will Spanish speakers react to an accident?

A.They will seek blame.B.They will draw a lesson from it.

C.They will avoid responsibility.D.They will consider it as an accident.

3.What advantage does being bilingual provide according to Julien Leyre?

A.It simplifies language learning in general.

B.It improves self-expression and precision in communication.

C.It develops an understanding of different cultural mental worlds.

D.It strengthens memory and learning abilities.

4.What does paragraph 5 mainly talk about?

A.How do languages differ.

B.Languages will be extinct.

C.The necessity of speaking a second language.

D.The importance of protecting our mother tongue.

Language Study

Ⅰ.日积月累

uniqueadj.独特的

structuren.结构

self-expressionn.自我表达

indirectadj.间接的

formaladj.正式的

informaladj.非正式的

pronounn.代词

faultn.过错

bilingualadj.双语的

linguisticadj.语言的

language precision 语言准确性

Ⅱ.语法填空

Our mother tongue,also known as our native language,1.________(play)a significant role in shaping our identity and understanding the world around us.It is the language we learn from birth.Having a good command 2.________our mother tongue is crucial for several reasons.Firstly, it helps us communicate 3.________(effective) with our family and friends, allowing us to express our 4.________(thought), emotions, and ideas more accurately.It also 5.________(enable) us to understand and appreciate our cultural heritage.Moreover, research suggests that 6.________(be) proficient in our mother tongue makes it easier 7.________(learn)additional languages.

Preserving our mother tongue is essential to maintaining our 8.________(culture)diversity and heritage.Languages change with time, 9.________(reflect) the history, traditions, and values of a community.By preserving our native language, we can better understand 10.________(our), appreciate our cultural diversity, and foster a sense of belonging in our global society.