a second language

0 My mother tongue is a language I've spoken since I could talk.02br
00I also speak a second language.02br
00English is the language I learned as my mother tongue.02br
00French is the second language I speak. 0-

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01cite10Newguest12cite10Why is it correct to say that someone has mastered 11b10a 12b10second language instead of 11b10the12b10 second language 11font10?12font12blockquote

10 Because nobody knows which language it is. My second lan

0I see. Thanks. 050010id5

0You're right: when referring to ordered lists you would normally say "01b00the02b00 first", "01b00the02b00 second" etc. So, if someone had been given a list of languages to learn in order, then you would say "he's mastered 01b00the02b00 first language", "he's mastered 01b00the02b00 second language" etc.

0Thanks Wordy!02br
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00But isn't there a rule which says that when there is no noun after first or second etc. we do not have to put "the" before ordinal number, e.g., He came first BUT He came as the first one.0-

0I just checked in my dictionary, and "first" in "He arrived first" is listed as an adverb. In "the first one" I think it's an adjective. So if know when to say "the red house", you should know when to say "the first house" as well. 050010id1

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01cite10Newguest12cite12br
10Thanks Wordy!12br
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10But isn't there a rule which says that when there is no noun after first or second etc. we do not have to put "the" before ordinal number, e.g., He came first BUT He came as the first one.12br
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10Yes, sorry, whe

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01cite10Kooyeen12cite10I just checked in my dictionary, and "first" in "He arrived first" is listed as an adverb. In "the first one" I think it's an adjective. So if know when to say "the red house", you should know when to say "the first house" as well. 15012br
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10Hi02br