parent language

English

Noun

parent language (plural parent languages)

1. (linguistics) A language from which a later language is derived.

   Coordinate terms: daughter language, sister language

   Old English is the parent language of English and Scots.

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with mother tongue.

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: kantakieli (fi)
• French: langue mère (fr) f
• German: Vorläufersprache f, Muttersprache (de) f
• Hungarian: szülőnyelv
• Polish: język nadrzędny m

See also

• proto-language

Further reading

• parent language on Wikipedia.Wikipedia