non-native speaker

English

Alternative forms

• NNS (initialism)

Etymology

From non-native +‎ speaker or non- +‎ native speaker.

Noun

non-native speaker (plural non-native speakers)

1. (linguistics) Someone who has another native tongue than the language being used.

   Synonym: allophone

   Antonym: native speaker

   • 2019, Irina S. Lebedeva, Svetlana N. Orlova, “Semantics and pragmatics of the double modal ‘might could’”, in Training, Language and Culture, volume 3, number 2, →DOI:

     Although double modality is outside the scope of Standard English and is not addressed in the school syllabus, it is a widespread phenomenon which non-native speakers of English might find confusing and should at least be aware of.

Derived terms

• non-native-speaker

Translations

someone who has another native tongue than the language being used

• Afrikaans: nie-moedertaalspreker
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 非母語人士／非母语人士 (fēi-mǔyǔ rénshì)

• Dutch: niet-moedertaalspreker m, niet-moedertaalspreekster f
• Finnish: ei-syntyperäinen puhuja
• French: locuteur non-natif
• German: Nichtmuttersprachler (de) m, Nichtmuttersprachlerin (de) f, Nicht-Muttersprachler m, Nicht-Muttersprachlerin f
• Polish: nierodzimy użytkownik języka m, nierodzima użytkowniczka języka f
• Portuguese: falante não-nativo m
• Spanish: hablante no nativo m