5
   

Are there any English Natives?

 
 
Reply Mon 26 Aug, 2013 07:21 pm
Could using the phrase "English natives" to describe a geographically diverse group of people who all speak English as their native language be considered correct?
 
roger
 
  3  
Reply Mon 26 Aug, 2013 08:03 pm
@JohnoPolo,
I have never heard the term, but can't see how it would be correct.
laughoutlood
 
  2  
Reply Mon 26 Aug, 2013 09:09 pm
@roger,
Permission to circle the wagons Captain.
hingehead
 
  4  
Reply Mon 26 Aug, 2013 09:28 pm
@JohnoPolo,
An 'English native' is a bit geographical tends to mean someone native to England, much like a Congolese native is native to the Congo.

I think the phrase you should use is 'native English speaker' or 'native speaker of English.
0 Replies
 
Pearlylustre
 
  2  
Reply Mon 26 Aug, 2013 09:34 pm
@JohnoPolo,
When I saw the title of this thread I thought you were asking if anyone here could trace their ancestry back before the Celts.
hingehead
 
  3  
Reply Mon 26 Aug, 2013 09:35 pm
@Pearlylustre,
Except, I believe, that English comes from the Angles, who settled after the Romans (I think) - or maybe I'm just PICTing a fight Mr. Green
0 Replies
 
Setanta
 
  1  
Reply Tue 27 Aug, 2013 02:12 am
In fact, the English were originally a mix of Angeln (Angles), Saxons, Jutes, and to a much lesser extent, Frisians. Of course, later, French-speaking Norse, called Normans, came along and truly buggered the language.
0 Replies
 
roger
 
  1  
Reply Tue 27 Aug, 2013 02:36 am
@laughoutlood,
Do it, lol. That's what I always do when the Natives are restless.
0 Replies
 
JohnoPolo
 
  1  
Reply Tue 27 Aug, 2013 03:44 am
Thank you to everyone that responded. I am aware that "Native English Speakers" would be 100% correct. However, I was actually trying to justify using my chosen phrase "English natives". In a rather desperate last attempt, I intended offering the example of "English majors" in the context of "at the graduation he found himself surrounded by English majors". But it's just not going to fly ... is it?
hingehead
 
  2  
Reply Tue 27 Aug, 2013 03:49 am
@JohnoPolo,
I think the English colonels will protest ;-)
0 Replies
 
 

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