Raoul Duke
- 2006-09-08
Yes, I think the others are on the right track.
In the USA, Canada (ex Quebec), Australia, New Zealand, and of course England, the vast majority of people traditionally have spoken English as their first and only language. English is the language most folks hear from the day they are born. It's the language they use for everything in their daily lives. Regional accents come from the language of the colonists, isolation, and time.
In Nigeria, the Philippines, India, and many other countries, English is used alongside other languages. Sure, some people do grow up in pure-English households, but I don't think this can be said of the majority. And even with them, when they step outside a lot of things happen in the local languages. Those local languages heavily flavor the accents of the English spoken there.
There's plenty of real racism in the world. I don't think this is an example of it.
The idea of "native speaker" is kind of a crock anyway. I know too many "native speakers" whose English sets my teeth on edge. And I know plenty of "non-native speakers" whose English is probably better than mine. When I hire, I look for "native-QUALITY" English, and this can come from anywhere.
Unfortunately many of my customers, and many owners and managers and students of English schools, aren't so enlightened.
John
- 2006-09-08
First - there are no British colonies any more but using your choice of terminology, the former tend to recognise (and therefore teach) English as their only national language whereas the majority of the latter recognise English as their second language. Exceptions there are of course, but that is the general rule of thumb.
John
AMonk
- 2006-09-07
The only "white" British colonies that I know of today are Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Technically, (based on racial predominance) all other colonies that the British laid claim to can be called "black"; i.e. Caribbean nations, India, Pakistan, Malaysian islands and various African countries.
Except for the Caribbean island nations (where the "natives" were decimated or exterminated), the other former colonies generally had Natives (darker complected that the British conquerors) already firmly settled, who had their own languages/dialects. English, for the main part, was an add-on (second) language for most inhabitants, which the British insisted be used as the "official" one.
Do I think this is Fair??
No. It is a narrow, bigotted, prejudiced point of view.
Does it (partly) explain the difference in terms?? Yes.
why do they call "white British colonies" "native speakers" and "Black British colonies" "non-native speakers" ?