Wednesday 21 October 2020

what's a 'native speaker' of english? part two

It's a tricky question:

And it's mixed up with race:

For example:
Native English speakers who are of Asian descent or candidates with Asian looks will NOT be considered Native English speakers (Caucasians ONLY) from the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada need apply Racism in the English language teaching industry | Ahmar Mahboob - Academia.edu
Native speaker: A unitary fantasy of a diverse reality | JALT Publications

Which countries, then, have English as a 'native' language?
Jay Doubleyou: who owns english?

Is the divide between native and non-native so clear?
How do you define a native speaker?
How would you define "native speaker of english"?

Certainly, there are many 'native' speakers whose first language is x - and still they are not capable of achieving everything on this list;
The individual acquired the language in early childhood and maintains the use of the language.
The individual has intuitive knowledge of the language.
The individual is able to produce fluent, spontaneous discourse.
The individual is communicatively competent in different social contexts.
The individual identifies with or is identified by a language community.
The individual does not have a foreign accent.
First language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are more Nigerians who speak English than British:
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