The article addresses the long-standing issue over the role of the mother tongue in the foreign language classroom. In the first part it is argued that the mother tongue lays the cognitive foundations for all subsequent language learning. Double comprehension as the basic requirement for learning to take place is explained. The second part is…

Argues against the thesis that exact translation is impossible, because languages reflect different world-views or different cognitive structures (de Saussure, Humboldt, Whorf, Weisgerber). The possibility of underlying universals (Lenneberg, Heger) must be considered and discussed in the field of language teacing. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)