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parent language

[/ˈpɛrənt ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/]
nounpl: parent languages
língua-mãe
1. A language from which other languages have evolved or been derived; an ancestral language
Latin is the parent language of Romance languages like Spanish, French, and Italian.
O latim é a língua-mãe das línguas romances como o espanhol, francês e italiano.
2. The original language from which a group of related languages developed through historical linguistic changes
Proto-Indo-European is considered the parent language of most European languages.
O proto-indo-europeu é considerado a língua-mãe da maioria das línguas europeias.
Synonyms
ancestral languagesource languageoriginal languagelíngua ancestrallíngua de origem
Antonyms
daughter languagederived languagelíngua filhalíngua derivada

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
língua-mãe
Standard term used in linguistic studies
Portugal
língua-mãe
Standard term used in linguistic studies
Academic
língua matriz
Alternative technical term in linguistic contexts

Related Idioms & Phrases

descended from a parent language
derived from a parent language
evolutionary parent language
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