Question Understanding the Poem 1
What does the quill symbolise in the poem?
Steps only
Link the quill to writing, preserving Dogri, and serving the language.
Answer
The quill symbolises writing for Dogri and helping preserve the mother tongue.
CLASS 11 · WOVEN WORDS · CHAPTER 14
Mother Tongue
Original student-friendly answers to Padma Sachdev's poem activities.
6 worked answersOriginal sample responses
6 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them
Understanding the Poem
Textbook pages Understanding the Poem
Question Understanding the Poem 2
Why does the poet sound urgent when asking for a quill?
Steps only
Explain that she feels called to serve and write for Dogri.
Answer
She is eager to answer Dogri's call and continue writing for her language.
Question Understanding the Poem 3
How does the poet show her emotional attachment to her mother tongue?
Steps only
Use the Shahni image and the poet's willingness to serve Dogri as evidence.
Answer
She personifies Dogri as a beloved Shahni and sees writing as service to it.
Question Understanding the Poem 4
How does the poem use personification?
Steps only
Identify the Shahni and the talking reed, then explain how they make the poem lively.
Answer
Dogri becomes a Shahni and the reed speaks and offers its hand, making both seem alive.
Try This Out
Textbook pages Try This Out
Question Try This Out 1
How could you report a small survey of five people about the languages they know and use?
Steps only
Summarise your own five interviews by languages, settings, and attitudes.
Answer
Report which languages people use at home, school, and work, and how they feel about each; use your own findings.
Question Try This Out 2
Can you name Indian languages that are written using scripts shared with other languages?
Steps only
Give Dogri as an example and distinguish a language from its script.
Answer
Dogri uses shared scripts such as Devanagari and Perso-Arabic; a language can be written without a unique script.