LANGUE(S) MATERNELLE(S) ET IDENTITE(S) (DE)COMPOSEE(S) – DEPUIS OVIDE JUSQU'A NOS JOURS
LANGUE(S) MATERNELLE(S) ET IDENTITE(S) (DE)COMPOSEE(S) – DEPUIS OVIDE JUSQU'A NOS JOURS

Summary/Abstract: This article begins by examining Ovid’s experience in exile at the Pontus Euxinus – theexperience of giving up his mother tongue, Latin, in favour of learning the Getic and the Sarmatianlanguages – in order to discuss the way in which modern-day students who migrate for educationalpurposes perceive their native language. Based on extracts from interviews with foreign studentsenrolled in the preparatory language year course at Ovidius University of Constanța, this paper willscrutinize the different ways of defining the first language (the language spoken by one’s mother, thelanguage of first socialization, the language of family, the language of religion, the language spokenin the country of origin etc.) as well as its relations to various foreign languages used by students.Romanian as the language of the host country and English as an international language represent themain elements of the linguistic repertoire of the students which are taken into consideration. Theanalysis of the way in which the students perceive their native language and foreign languagesfacilitates their process of integration into a foreign and often hostile cultural, social and linguisticenvironment, assimilable to exile.

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