什么是母语？

Leo Young wrote:

对于我这样没有离开过故土的人来讲，母语就是主要用于日常交流、获取多数信息、情感交流的语言。

对于生长在异乡的人，例如很多生长在美国的华裔生活在英语的环境中，不会讲汉语很正常，很难说母语到底是哪个？

博尔赫斯生长在阿根廷讲西班牙语，可从小他的外婆就给他讲英文故事，他自己也流利讲多种语言。而在文学方面他自己也承认受英美文学传统影响最深。

对于身处多种语言环境的人来讲，这是个有意思的问题。比如一个妈妈意大利人，爸爸西班牙人，而全家生活在英国。但对于我等来讲真的很简单。

James_xia wrote:

这里的解说可能从另一角度有助于理解母语和外语的对比意义：
http://baike.baidu.com/view/119195.htm

——母语，如果以其为第一语言来论之，它的运用能力对一个人进一步的学习过程至关重要，因为思考多是以母语为基础的；因此母语在教育过程中有核心的地位。

——如果母语掌握欠佳，学习别的语言也会有困难。

——母语不是靠出生地或血统决定。母语也不一定是母亲的语言。

——对于移民后代来说，“母语”不一定是母国或祖国的语言。一个人可以有两种或更多种母语，因此是“双语”或“多语”的。

——语言的学习先后顺序，并不一定代表熟练程度。

ysun wrote:

http://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_suggestions/227485-should_“native_language”_claims_be_verified-page8.html#1967387


Otherwise, take that down right now or apologize.

[Edited at 2012-07-14 05:41 GMT]

Phil's problem (if I understand correctly) is a high number of ZH-EN translators who declare only English as their native language, when in fact their native language is really Chinese.

http://isg.urv.es/publicity/isg/publications/trp_3_2011/pym.pdf

Translation research terms: a tentative glossary for moments of perplexity and dispute
-- Anthony Pym, 2011

A language, B language vs. L1, L2: The terms “A language”, “B language” and “C language” are traditionally used in translator training institutions, where they indicate the language that the trainee has nominated as their primary or strongest (A), then the languages in which they need most training (B and C). A complete bilingual might thus request “double A” status of some kind, and many learners will effectively have a B1 and a B2 (i.e. two “second” languages at about the same level). More or less the same meanings are used by interpreters when naming their working languages. On the other hand, the terms “L1”, “L2”, etc. are used in the study of language acquisition, sometimes to indicate the order in which languages are acquired, and more normally to separate the primary or “mother” tongue from the others. Although the two nomenclatures often overlap (the trainee’s A language is usually their L1), there is a certain logic in separating the criteria of language acquisition from those of translator training.

http://usuaris.tinet.cat/apym/

Anthony Pym is Professor of Translation and Intercultural Studies and coordinator of the Intercultural Studies Group at the Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, Spain. He runs a doctoral program in Translation and Intercultural Studies. He is also President of the European Society for Translation Studies, a fellow of the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Visiting Researcher at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and Professor Extraordinary at the University of Stellenbosch.

wherestip wrote:

My thinking is if there could be a "'double A' status of some kind" in translator training, it's not so inconceivable that some people might have double L1 status due to their individual life experience when it comes to language fluency.

wherestip wrote:

"the appearance of many Asians "falsely" declaring English as their N1. In reality many of these peers could be of Chinese descent, coming from countries and regions where English is indeed one of the official or working languages, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, etc. So these claims could be entirely legit."

Phil Hand wrote:

Descent not an issue

[Edited at 2012-07-16 02:32 GMT]

Phil Hand wrote:

Please go and check out Chinese-English translators. "The vast majority of those who claim to be English native are just lying. It's not a kinda maybe situation. It's just a lie to get eligibility for jobs. I would certainly like to see some enforcement against that kind of behaviour.

Phil Hand wrote:



1) I agree with what you're saying. 2) I don't think there is any connection between being Asian/of Asian descent and false/true declarations of native language. That connection was raised by another person on this thread. Please, please don't impute such links to me. [Edited at 2012-07-16 02:32 GMT]

Samuel Murray wrote:

Phil's problem (if I understand correctly) is a high number of ZH-EN translators who declare only English as their native language, when in fact their native language is really Chinese.