All about Mother Tongue Influence
What is Mother Tongue influence?
Mother tongue influence is a global term that is used. The correct full form for MTI as we locally call it is Mother Tongue Interference, but we refer to it in our day to day life as Mother tongue influence. Mother Tongue interference is the base or our native language that interferes with our English Speaking.
Do only Indians only have MTI?
Not at all, and this is something that we all think that only we Indians have this, but, Mother tongue interference or MTI is in everybody who speaks more than one language, so anybody who speaks 2 languages wherein they speak their Native language at home and outside they speak English, all of these people have Mother Tongue Interference, for example, if you look at the Far East countries like Japan, China, Hong Kong etc.. They speak very quickly with very short words. The reason for this is because their base language which is Japanese or Mandarin (as in the case of China or Hong Kong) has very short syllables so that is what interferes with their English speaking. If you look at the European countries Like Italy or Spain, their base language has very long drawn sounds, so is why their language sounds very easy and slow. So, everybody has a Mother Tongue Influence, if they speak 2 languages.
How does Mother tongue influence affect us?
MTI affects us in the following ways:
- Kills our Confidence
- Pronunciation errors
- Stage Fear
- No job
- No promotion
How to identify MTI?
New to the language, it will be difficult. Look at where you come from. If from the North “Pleasure” and “Pleasure”; Bengal “V” and “W”; West coast “S” and “SH”
Listen to people who speak English, look at lip movements.
How to eliminate MTI?
- Make a list of common words, use Oxford English dictionary app to pronounce or find someone who speaks well and as them to pronounce while you record. Use the recording to practice.
- Read aloud and record. Play it back and listen.
- Watch English News channels, especially Indian English news channels.
Practice a lot. Practice makes perfect.
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