In today’s interconnected world, the ease of global travel has significantly increased, making it more accessible for people to relocate to different countries. With the widespread availability of air travel, individuals can now easily establish themselves in nations far from their own, potentially never returning. Consequently, they must grapple with the challenges of adapting to unfamiliar cultures and languages. 

So, let’s start at the very beginning of learning a new language.

In the initial stages, one notices how the foundational aspects of our native language play a role in the journey of acquiring a foreign language. This can manifest in subtle nuances such as the distinctive accents of learners or the familiar struggle faced by native speakers in finding equivalents for concepts with no direct translation (untranslatable words). A thorough examination of the grammatical nuances inherent in each language reveals potential pitfalls, like the grammatical genders in Romance languages or the intricate case systems found in Slavonic languages. After some time of hard work, integrating and assimilating into a new linguistic landscape becomes a transformative process, eventually leading to the acquisition of essential language skills in the second language.

Language acquisition might seem akin to mastering the art of riding a bike. Just like cycling, learning a language involves continually taking care of your new skills. As we all know, we can’t just leave a bike standing in the rain for a long time or it will end up covered in rust.

Just as we can lose our second language, there is evidence that we can also lose our first language. Spending a long time abroad in another country, exclusively speaking and concentrating on a new language can induce a sense of grammatical rust in our native tongue.

Due to learning new genders, verbs, and declensions, you can easily lose your mother tongue fluidity if you stop using it for a long time. This phenomenon is known as Language Attrition. The impact of First Language Attrition is nuanced, varying based on circumstances; it may manifest in subtle aspects such as changes in accent or mannerisms, highlighting the complexity of this linguistic phenomenon.

What can I do?

In essence, as we immerse ourselves in a foreign country, it’s crucial to maintain our proficiency in our native language. To conclude, here are recommendations to help sustain the use of your first language and prevent language attrition:

1) Enhance your language retention by reading books from your homeland, maintaining a diary in your mother tongue, and listening to music in your native language. Consistent and regular exposure to these activities will contribute to the continuous enrichment of your vocabulary in both languages.

2) You can call home regularly. If you’re living abroad, even half an hour every week spent talking to family and friends at home can help you.

3) Use the possibility of language Meet-Ups. In big cities, you will easily find other speakers of your language. Meet up with them and make sure you don’t lose your fluent first language skills and make some new friendships.

P.S. or you can just work as a translator and make sure you speak, write and read both, your mother tongue and your second language daily! 😉

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