Hey there! I’m 13, and I’m obsessed with linguistics—aka the science of languages. I’ve got a big idea: your mother tongue, the language you grew up speaking (and for me, that’s not English!), is like a hidden superpower. I want kids my age and older to master it before chasing English or coding languages like Python (not the snake, the tech kind!). Why? It’s the root of who you are, how you think, and even how cool stuff like AI understands us. Let’s dive in!

Your mother tongue is where it all starts. It’s how you learned to say “cat” instead of meowing or beg for snacks without crying. For me, it’s not English—it’s my own language that wraps up my family, my culture, my whole world in sounds. Picture it like the foundation of a house. If it’s wobbly, the whole thing flops. Same deal here: if you don’t get strong in your own language, jumping to English or coding is like stacking bricks on jelly. Not a great plan, right?

Now, let’s geek out about natural language processing—NLP for short. It’s how computers figure out human talk. Think Siri, Alexa, or even chatty. NLP needs real language data to work, and guess what? It started with big languages like English, but now it’s hungry for more—like Tagalog, Yoruba, or whatever you speak, not just English. The better you rock your mother tongue, the more you can help AI learn. Imagine your voice teaching robots how to chat. That’s next-level awesome!

Here’s the thing: don’t toss your native language aside to sound fancy in English or code like a hacker. Mastering your mother tongue first—not English, if it’s not your native one—sets you up to win at everything else. It’s like in a video game—you don’t skip the tutorial and expect to beat the final boss. So, how do you get pro at it? I’ve got ideas! Try reading a book or comic in your language—adventure stories hit different when they’re in your own words, not English. Watch a movie or show with no subtitles, just soaking in the vibes. Chat with your grandparents—they’ve got epic tales and wild slang. Or write something—a poem, a story, even a silly rap. In my language, karu, and it’s got a depth English can’t touch. You’ve got gems like that too—find them!

Still not convinced? Every time you use your mother tongue, you’re keeping it alive. You’re a language superhero! Don’t feel pressured to rush into English or coding. Start where you stand. Try this: go a whole day speaking only your native language—no “LOL” or “cool,” just your roots. Feel the strength in it. Your mother tongue isn’t just talk—it’s your power, your story, your edge. Master it, and the world’s yours to conquer!