motherland
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motherland
A person's country of origin; the homeland to which there is a strong emotional connection.
Obwohl sie seit Jahrzehnten in Deutschland lebt, bezeichnet sie Indien immer noch als ihr Mutterland.
Although she has lived in Germany for decades, she still refers to India as her motherland.
mother country
A state in relation to its colonies, overseas territories, or subsidiaries abroad.
Großbritannien war das Mutterland eines weltumspannenden Kolonialreichs.
Great Britain was the mother country of a worldwide colonial empire.
The word is a direct compound of 'die Mutter' (the mother) and 'das Land' (the country). It describes a relationship to a country that is as close and original as the relationship to a mother.
Für die Auswanderer blieb Deutschland immer ihr Mutterland.
For the emigrants, Germany always remained their motherland.
The meaning depends strongly on the context. In a personal or emotional context, it refers to the homeland. In a historical or political context, especially with reference to colonies or empires, it refers to the ruling state.
Er besuchte nach 30 Jahren zum ersten Mal wieder sein Mutterland.
After 30 years, he visited his motherland again for the first time.
In the meaning of 'Heimat' (homeland), 'Mutterland' (motherland) has a very emotional, sometimes also solemn or nationalistic connotation. It expresses a deeper bond than the neutral word 'Herkunftsland' (country of origin).
In seinen Gedichten schrieb er voller Sehnsucht über sein Mutterland.
In his poems, he wrote full of longing about his motherland.
In the colonial meaning, 'Mutterland' (mother country) often stands in direct contrast to the 'Kolonien' (colonies), 'Überseegebieten' (overseas territories), or 'Tochtergesellschaften' (subsidiaries) of a company.
Die Gesetze des Mutterlandes galten auch in den Kolonien.
The laws of the mother country also applied in the colonies.
homeland / home
Heimat and Mutterland can both refer to the country of origin with which someone has a personal connection. Heimat emphasizes a personal sense of belonging more strongly and can also refer to a region or place, while Mutterland tends to refer to the country of origin and sounds more formal. Heimat is usually the better choice for personal feelings.
Für viele Menschen blieb das Mutterland trotz der Entfernung ein wichtiges Herkunftsland.
For many people, their motherland remained an important country of origin despite the distance.
Obwohl sie lange im Ausland lebt, fühlt sie sich ihrer Heimat eng verbunden.
Although she has lived abroad for a long time, she still feels closely connected to her homeland.
