What exactly do you mean by "Native Speaker"?
People in QL like to use the terms "native speaker" or "non-native speaker" of say, the English language. I am confused as to what they mean by that.
I believe I have a good command of the English language. I come from a country where English is NOT the official language but most of the citizens of my country speak English and use the language as the main language of communication. Technically, does this categorize me as a "non-native" Englsh speaker?
If I then become a citizen of say UK or Australia, do I become a "native speaker of English" overnight?
I have done some research on this terminology and one website has attempted to define "Native Language" as follows:-
"Sometimes the term native language is used to indicate a language that a person is as proficient in as a native inhabitant of that language's base country."
Your comments please.....
OrangKedah, "native speaker" doesn't necessarily refer to what the citizens of your country are speaking, but rather the primary language spoken in your home. If your parents spoke to you in English when you were first learning to speak, and this was spoken most of the time, that's your native language.
If you learned a different language first, then that other language is your native language, and you are a "fluent" English speaker--which, obviously you are.
Don't think the diff ever matters much, except maybe for statistical purposes or maybe on a job app.
Here is my theory of this English concept.
My experience:
I have heard other native speakers use different dialects of North American English, Central American English, South American English, Asian English, Middle East English, African English and Pacific Islander English. Is all the same English with a different twist of accents.
My Opinion:
For me, it all boils down to which language are you mostly conformable with and you domain the most.
The fun part is learning the correct and proper English.
It all depends on who is teaching and who written those text books.
Here is my twist of the English language:
I still persist in learning that bloody English from those strange characters living in some remote Islands of the coast of France.
So when I go home, my poor spoken English is distilled and assimilated with their accent, no one will bloody understand me......then I will be one Irish hispanic English speaker...LOL
Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else.
-- Will Rogers
or even the one you think in ( i often think in English)
but the one you FEEL...
native is the language which your mom and dad speak between themselves home,and which they spoke to you since you are born.. native is a Mother language...
i used to call it mother tung
where u used to talk and speak in a language
i have a good command in English yes
but still i do not have that command as i have it in Arabic
which is my mother tung so i am (non-native English speaker)
regard to u
Hi org kedah- i was wondering the same thing too only thing is english is the 1st language being taught to me so i am wondering which category do i fall in?
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......