Here's a breakdown:
* New student: This refers to a student who has recently joined a school or group.
* Spoke: This indicates that the student used verbal communication.
* In a foreign tongue: This means the student used a language that was not the primary language of the environment they were in.
The phrase suggests a sense of difference and unfamiliarity. It implies that the new student is from a different background and may not be understood by the people around them.