Mother Tongue Summary and Explanation
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 6- Mother Tongue Summary, Explanation along with Difficult Word Meanings from Woven Words Book
Mother Tongue Summary – Are you looking for the summary, theme and lesson explanation for CBSE 11 English (Elective) Poem 6 – Mother Tongue from English Woven Words Book . Get Mother Tongue Poem summary, theme, explanation along with difficult word meanings
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 6 – Mother Tongue
Padma Sachdev
The poem “Mother Tongue” by Padma Sachdev is a beautiful tribute to the poet’s native language, Dogri. In simple words, the poem shows the deep love and respect the poet has for her mother tongue. She talks to a reed, asking for a quill to write with, which symbolizes her desire to express herself through her language. The poem also shows how important and precious our mother tongue is, as it connects us to our culture, identity, and feelings. It teaches us to value and protect our native language.
- Mother Tongue Summary
- Mother Tongue Summary in Hindi
- Mother Tongue Theme
- Mother Tongue Explanation
- Mother Tongue Poetic Devices
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Mother Tongue Summary
The poem “Mother Tongue” by Padma Sachdev talks about the poet’s deep love and respect for her native language, Dogri. In the poem, the poet approaches a reed and asks it to give her a quill, which is a writing tool. At first, the reed is annoyed because it had already given her one recently. It asks if she is some kind of accountant who needs new pens all the time. The poet explains that she does not work for an accountant but for a kind and noble lady called “Shahni,” who is actually her mother tongue, Dogri. The poet says that many people work for this “Shahni” and that she is one of her servants. Understanding the poet’s dedication, the reed cuts off a part of itself to give her a quill, showing that it too serves the mother tongue.
The poem shows how important and precious the poet’s mother tongue is to her. It explains that language is not just a way to communicate but also a part of identity, culture, and feelings. The poet’s urgency to get a quill shows her desire to express herself through her language. The poem also teaches us to respect and care for our mother tongues because they keep our heritage alive. Through the conversation with the reed, the poet highlights the connection between nature, language, and human emotions.
Summary of the Poem Mother Tongue in Hindi
पद्मा सचदेव की कविता “मातृभाषा” कवि के अपनी मातृभाषा डोगरी के प्रति गहरे प्रेम और सम्मान के बारे में बात करती है। कविता में, कवि एक ईख के पास जाती है और उससे एक कलम माँगती है, जो एक लेखन उपकरण है। पहले तो ईख नाराज़ होती है क्योंकि उसने हाल ही में उसे एक कलम दी थी। वह पूछती है कि क्या वह किसी तरह की अकाउंटेंट है जिसे हर समय नए पेन की ज़रूरत होती है। कवि समझाती है कि वह किसी अकाउंटेंट के लिए नहीं बल्कि “शाहनी” नामक एक दयालु और कुलीन महिला के लिए काम करती है, जो वास्तव में उसकी मातृभाषा डोगरी है। कवि कहती है कि इस “शाहनी” के लिए कई लोग काम करते हैं और वह उसकी एक सेविका है। कवि के समर्पण को समझते हुए, ईख उसे कलम देने के लिए अपना एक हिस्सा काट देती है, यह दिखाते हुए कि वह भी मातृभाषा की सेवा करती है। कविता दर्शाती है कि कवि की मातृभाषा उसके लिए कितनी महत्वपूर्ण और कीमती है। यह बताती है कि भाषा केवल संवाद करने का एक तरीका नहीं है बल्कि पहचान, संस्कृति और भावनाओं का भी एक हिस्सा है। कवि की कलम पाने की उत्सुकता उसकी भाषा के माध्यम से खुद को अभिव्यक्त करने की इच्छा को दर्शाती है। कविता हमें अपनी मातृभाषाओं का सम्मान और देखभाल करना भी सिखाती है क्योंकि वे हमारी विरासत को जीवित रखती हैं। ईख के साथ बातचीत के माध्यम से, कवि प्रकृति, भाषा और मानवीय भावनाओं के बीच संबंध को उजागर करता है।
Theme of the Poem Mother Tongue
The poem “Mother Tongue” by Padma Sachdev revolves around the following themes:-
Love and Devotion to One’s Mother Tongue
The poem beautifully conveys the poet’s heartfelt love and loyalty towards her native language. She sees it not just as a means of communication but as a revered entity worthy of respect and service. This devotion reflects the deep emotional bond people often have with their mother tongue, which shapes their thoughts and feelings.
Language as Identity and Heritage
The poem highlights that language is an essential part of a person’s identity and cultural heritage. It connects individuals to their community, history, and traditions. For the poet, expressing herself in Dogri is a way of preserving and honoring her roots, which gives her a strong sense of belonging.
Sacrifice and Commitment to Language
The poem suggests that maintaining and nurturing one’s mother tongue is not always easy; it requires effort, sacrifice, and dedication. The reed cutting off its hand to provide a quill symbolizes the sacrifices involved in keeping a language alive, especially in a world where many smaller languages face neglect.
Mother Tongue Explanation
Poem:
I approached a stem
Swinging on a reed
And asked him
To give me a quill.
Word Meanings:
stem (n): the stick-like part of a plant that grows above the ground and from which leaves and flowers grow
reed (n): (the hollow stem of any of various types of tall, stiff plants like grasses growing together in groups near water
quill (n): a pen usually made from a bird’s feather or stems, used in the past
Explanation of the stanza: The poet saw a thin part of a plant called a reed moving in the wind. She went up to it and asked it to give her a quill, which is a small sharp stick used for writing. This shows that the poet wants something from nature to help her write.
Poem:
Irritated, he said
I gave you one only the other day
A new one, what have you done with it?
Are you some sort of an accountant
With some Shah
Writing account books
Where you need a new pen
Every other day he asked.
Word Meanings:
Irritated (adj.): showing or feeling slight anger
accountant (n): someone who keeps or examines the records of money received, paid, and owed by a company or person
Shah (n): the title of a ruler of Iran in the past or, a king
account books (n): the records of money that a business or organization has spent and received
Explanation of the stanza: The reed, feeling annoyed, replied that it had already given the poet a quill recently. It asked her what she had done with that one. The reed wondered if the poet was like an accountant working for a king (Shah), and wrote a lot and needed a new pen every day. The reed was surprised and questioned why she needed a new quill so often.
Poem:
No, I don’t work for a Shah
I said, but for a Shahni, very kind,
Very well off
And I am not the only one
Working for her
She has many servants
Ever ready to do her bidding
That Shahni is my mother tongue
Dogri
Word Meanings:
Shahni (n): a queen
well off (adj.): rich
servants (n): a person who is employed in another person’s house, doing jobs such as cooking and cleaning, especially in the past
bidding (n): a request or an order
mother tongue (n): the first language that you learn when you are a baby, rather than a language learned at school or as an adult
Dogri (n): a language spoken by some people in India, centred on Jammu.
Explanation of the stanza: The poet continues to say that she does not work for a king. Instead, she works for a queen who is very kind and rich. She is not the only one working for the queen and rather many others also work for her and are ready to help her. This queen is the poet’s mother tongue, Dogri. So, the poet loves and serves her language like a servant serves a queen.
Poem:
Give me, a quill, quickly
She must be looking for me
The reed cut off its hand
Gave it to me and said
Take it
I too am her servant.
Word Meanings:
cut off (v): to remove something
Explanation of the stanza: The poet asks the reed to give her a quill quickly because her mother tongue (the queen) must be waiting for her. Understanding this, the reed cuts off a part of itself and gives it to her as a quill. The reed gave the quill to the poet and said that it too was a servant of the poet’s mother tongue, showing its respect and willingness to help.
Mother Tongue Poetic Devices
The poem “Mother Tongue ” by Padma Sachdev consists of the following poetic devices:-
Imagery
Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses.
- “I approached a stem
- Swinging on a reed”
These lines create a vivid picture of the reed moving in nature, helping readers visualize the setting and the poet’s interaction with it.
Personification
Personification is the representation of an abstract quality or idea in the form of a person, creature, etc., as in art and literature.
- “Irritated, he said
- I gave you one only the other day…”
The reed is given human qualities such as irritation and speech, making it seem alive and able to communicate with the poet.
Metaphor
It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature.
- “That Shahni is my mother tongue, Dogri”
The mother tongue is metaphorically described as a noble lady (“Shahni”), showing respect and affection for the language.
Symbolism
It is the use of an object, person, situation or word to represent something else, like an idea, in literature.
- “Give me, a quill, quickly
- She must be looking for me”
The quill symbolizes the poet’s tool for writing and expressing her mother tongue, which is eagerly waiting for her creative voice.
Conclusion
This post provides the students with a comprehensive understanding of the Poem 6 – Mother Tongue By Padma Sachdev from the CBSE Class 11 English Woven Words Book. It provides the students with the introduction, theme, summary, lesson explanation with word meanings, ensuring that the students comprehend the chapter effectively.