What is Native speaker?
A '''native speaker''' is someone who learned to speak a [[language]] as part of their childhood development. A native speaker's language is usually the language their [[parents]] speak and/or the language of their [[country]] of origin. It is the only language of a monolingual person, and likely the [[first language]] of a [[multilingual]] person which is acquired naturally in their native environment. It may serve as the basis for their sociolinguistic identity. A native speaker of a language has the following traits: # The speaker learnt the language in childhood, # mastery of [[idiom]]atic forms of the language, # comprehension of regional and social variance, # fluent, spontaneous production and comprehension of discourse. # Mastery of the grammar and [[vocabulary]] of the language tacitly. Many employers of language teachers prefer native speakers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.europelanguagejobs.com/blog/native-or-non-native.php|title=Native or non-native: who makes a better English teacher?|website=www.europelanguagejobs.com|access-date=2018-12-24}}</ref> === Alternative Perspectives on Native-Like Proficiency === While the traditional definition of a '''native speaker''' is tied to early childhood language acquisition, some linguistic researchers argue that native-like proficiency can be achieved later in life through full immersion and mastery. A speaker who meets the following criteria may be '''indistinguishable from a native speaker''', despite learning the language beyond childhood: # '''Fluency and spontaneity''' in discourse, without hesitation. # '''Mastery of idiomatic expressions, cultural references, and regional variations.''' # '''Pronunciation and accent that align with native norms.''' # '''Tacit understanding of grammar and natural usage patterns.''' # '''Social and professional functionality identical to a native speaker.''' This perspective aligns with research in '''second language acquisition''' and the concept of '''near-native proficiency''', where individuals acquire full