Is the concept of "native speaker" still relevant in the glo...

The reason that there are 2 forms of English is because America deviated from the original language. There are many instances of spelling changes and American grammar is a LOT more lax than British English.

Native or natus means to be born. Native English speaker means that that was the language you mother spoke while were still in the womb and were born into. Dont stress it too much, take an IELTS or TOEFL ibt test, keep your certificate in case future employers question your language ability. Having taught both IELTS and TOEFL ibt, I can assure you that they are equally as difficult, Amrricans have tons of colloquialisms which are difficult to decisipher unless you come from the country, and the British language has evolved andchanged alot over the last 39 years, that sometimes even I struggle to uunderstand some of the accents and phrases...Manchester being one of them..it seems r has been replaced with w.. so brave sounds like bwave lol good luck!

I have asked would-be employers who require 'Native Speaker' as a requirement as to how they define 'native speaker'. I believe I've asked no less than 20 of them. None so far has given me any reply which means they themselves don't know what they are looking for. The requirement for 'native speaker' is the schools' way of hiding their inability to screen and assess the candidates' capabilities. Would you believe that in many instances, before you even introduce to each other, the interviewer asks, "Where did you originally come from?". I stop eight there because I don't want to be employed by ignorants. British English continued to evolved on its own way while the language which was transplanted to North America had its unique evolution mainly based on the ethnic mix over the years.

Well, the joke "native speaker" is an old one and has come to stay as a permanent "ulcer". I have faced ugly situations and continue to face. I was born in India, but I have acquired a British accent (not a purely RP, but definitely not Estuary English and definitely no intrusive r. ) and I hold the wrong passport (German). An American in China told me "People born in India will not be given a Chinese work visa" because they are "not native speakers". Even the world's most famous linguist Prof. David Crystal has accepted that the "accents" and "varieties" of English is here to stay. However, everybody seems to harp on "native speaker" even to this day. All these "educated" people and even some of the teachers forget that when a language becomes global, the culture of the place where it is spoken will definitely influence the evolution of language. Even in among "native speakers" there will be variations in the way a vowel is pronounced. So what is a "native vowel". I, an person born in India, pronounce the /t/ from the alveolar ridge. In India the / t/ is typically pronounced from the cerebral position. But my pronunciation does not count, even it be right, because I am NOT a native. However, if a person were to say "butter" in Estuary English it will still be considered "native" but is, in my humble opinion, is definitely not an educated form of articulation. Additionally, even the Queen pronounces her / O / today, in a different way from that compared to how she did in 1958. One only needs to look on the internet to find the example. Truth is, one can argue until is old and grey and senile, the folly is here to stay.

I really don't understand most of the replies to your questions, but the bottom line is that the general definition of a "native English speaker" is one who grew up speaking the language. I speak American English, and sound pretty American, because I grew up in Los Angeles. Others speak British English, etc. but what matters really is your accent and how clearly you pronounce your English. There are several different accents in the English language from the Southern areas of the United States to different regions in the UK. If you didn't grow up speaking the language and you don't have an accent equal to a Canadian, British or US citizen, then you're probably going to get lower offers and will be less pursued by many schools. It's just the way it is. Also, preference goes toward white people before other shades of color and how youthful you appear to be. If you're attractive, then that will also help. So, if I were you, I'd not say I wasn't an "native English speaker", and let them determine whether or not they like the way you sound.

To be fair and somewhat just on this point, if you are born in England. raised and have spoken English all your life , as your 1st language, then you are a native English speaker, If you were born in the USA, Canada, NZ, Aus., etc then you speak a derivative of natural English, which means, different spellings, pronunciation, grammar etc... up to the employer as to what they understand is a native speaker... Personally, I got refused a position teaching as a native English speaker, because I was born and raised in the UK, not the USA... GO Figure..

Brother, I hear you and while I am Californian I also believe that English as a global language does not need native speakers, per se. Because issues with fluency, teaching abilities are not always ethnocentric. When it comes to accents there are preferences. We can hear the voices/language production of the teachers through the pupil. My Brazilian and Saudi students produce English that is very different than native speakers but also quite intelligent and interesting. Therefore, I do not correct them to arrange word patterns like natives might because their own hybrid global English language development is intertwined with their native language.

Yes, I think that is why "neutral" Canada ... "accent-wise" ... is more of an accepted native english derivative to the world. Well said my friend. It is the demand of the world that scores the "native english" in importance. imo