Native Speakers and Native Users
Loss and Gain

'Native speakers' and 'native users' are playing the same game, sharing, as they do, the model of the Standard Language.

Alan Davies (Author)

9781108790635, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 12 December 2019

187 pages, 1 b/w illus. 4 tables
15.2 x 23 x 1.3 cm, 0.3 kg

'The book is carefully structured through solid arguments, which are richly illustrated by literate examples or empirical studies. The reader will find engaging examples and rich references to literature that will revive his/her interest in exploring the nature and scope of native and non-native speakers and in establishing stronger relationships between theoretical and applied linguistics.' Laura Dubcovsky, Linguist List

'Native speakers' and 'native users' are terms traditionally used to differentiate between speakers who have acquired a language from birth and speakers who have learnt a second language. This book highlights the problems associated with making such a clear cut distinction. By analysing a range of literature, language uses and proficiency tests, Davies argues that there is no significant difference between native speakers and native users, and emphasises the importance of the Standard Language. Whilst individual native speakers may vary considerably, the academic construct of the native speaker is isomorphic with the Standard Language which is available to both native speakers and native users through education. In this book, Davies explores the 'native user' as a second language speaker who uses language with 'native speaker' competence. This book will be of significant interest to students and researchers working in the fields of second language acquisition and applied linguistics.

1. Introduction
2. The sense of language loss
3. Is a New English English?
4. Second language learning and second language acquisition
5. Language norms and standard English
6. Empirical studies
7. Talking in silence: Ministry in Quaker meetings
8. Textual hoaxes: questioning the taken-for-granted
9. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Language acquisition [CFDC], Linguistics [CF]