Know Your English (Nov 2001)-12

Know your English

How does one refer to one's country? "Fatherland" or "motherland"?

How you refer to your country depends upon what your mother tongue happens to be. In most Indian languages, we generally use the feminine gender to refer to our beloved "Bharath". Native speakers of English invariably refer to their country as their "motherland". But the Germans, on the other hand, refer to Germany as their "fatherland". So, both "motherland" and "fatherland" are acceptable ways of referring to one's country.


Source:

The Hindu daily, Tuesday, November 13, 2001