English has become a truly international language with more speakers of English as a second language than as a first or mother tongue.

英语已经成为真正的国际语言，因为把英语作为第二语言的人数已经超过以英语为第一语言或母语的人数。

youdao

Mother tongue "is the first language that a person picks up and is usually the standard language or dialect of that particular ethnic group".

母语是“一个人最初学会的一种语言，在一般情况下，是本民族的标准语或某一种方言”。

youdao

First language and mother tongue are overlapping concepts. It is the language identity of a nation or an individual that determines the mother tongue, but not the sequence of acquisition.

第一语言与母语是交叉概念，决定母语的不是语言获得的顺序，而是民族或自己的语言认同。

youdao

First language and mother tongue are overlapping concepts. It is the language identity of a nation or an individual that determines the mother tongue, but not the sequence of acquisition.

第一语言与母语是交叉概念，决定母语的不是语言获得的顺序，而是民族或自己的语言认同。

youdao