Correct meaning of "Native Speaker"

[Tom]

Hi

I have been using the term native speaker without knowing its full meaning!

Native speaker is the one whose native language is English, wheather he is from England, America, Australia etc. Am I right?

Tom

[Bara]

Hi

Native speaker is a noun that means someone who has spoken a particular language since they were a baby, rather than having learnt it as a child or adult. For instant:
1) All our teachers are native speakers of English.
2) A native-speaker dictionary

Kind Regards
Baraa

[Tamara]

Hi

[Mister Micawber]

.
from Oxford:

native speaker

• noun a person who has spoken the language in question from earliest childhood.

from Encarta:

na·tive speak·er (plural na·tive speak·ers)
noun
Definition:

first-language speaker: a speaker of a language learned in infancy
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Tamara]

OK.
Thanks.
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Tom]

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

If you say "native speaker of English", then the "language in question" is English.

Amy

[Tom]

Thanks Amy!

How do the following sentences sound to you? Do they sound like normal Englsih to you?

1- My friend was born in India. By the way, he is a native speaker of English.

2- Although Benezir Bhutto was born in Pakistan, she is a native speaker of Englsih!

Tom

[Yankee]

Your sentences sound fine, Tom, but I think your keyboard must be giving you some trouble this evening (Englsih).

[Bara]

Hi Tamara;

The Definition I provided recently is from Cambridge Dictionary. As far as I am concerned; correct me if I am WRONG; Native Speaker in general is the mother tong language.

Tamara Wrote:

“I remember how one good guy, a professional programmer, once said – seriously - "You know, my native language is C++".”

In my own opinion; when your friend said “my native language “, he implied his talents in C++ program language.

Always willing to hear from ya
Baraa