father tongue (English, noun)
expansion: father tongue (plural father tongues)
Senses:
glosses: A separate language for expressing ideas, as opposed to the vernacular (mother tongue) which is employed for everyday speech.
glosses: The form of language acquired through education and reading, as opposed to the dialect one grows up speaking; educated or formal language.
glosses: A second language that one speaks fluently.
glosses: The language spoken by one's father, when it differs from that spoken by one's mother.
Forms:
form: father tongues
tags: plural