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Tutorial 1 (B) - Question 3
Q3. What do you understand
by the term ‘Native English Speaker’? Why does Ruby Pan require specification on the variety of English that
she, as an English Language Teacher is expected to speak?
To me, the term 'Native English Speaker' refers to someone who speaks the most commonly used form of the English language in a country. In Singapore, that would be the Basilectal Singapore English, or otherwise known as Singlish. Singlish is used by almost everyone, educated or not, in informal settings; and hence, it has in a way become our very own 'native' English.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in recent years, the Singapore government has been trying to phase out the use of Singlish and encourage Singaporeans to speak the Acrolectal Singaporean English. The 'Speak Good English' movement is an example of efforts made to improve the standard of English among Singaporeans.
Having this in mind, the variety of English that an English Language Teacher is expected to speak is probably the Acrolectal Singaporean English. Ruby Pan could have been trying to point out that the Acrolectal Singaporean English is not our native form of English and she thus questions, 'Native to what?'.
-Eleanor, 13AO1E
I think the term 'Native English Speaker' refers to the variety of English spoken in a given geographical area (eg. Singapore). However, there are also many varieties of English in Singapore. Some examples raised by Ruby Pan was the 'fake BBC English' and the 'stiff upper lip' of teachers in Singapore. Furthermore, there is even a distinction between acrolectal and basilectal Singaporean English, that it becomes almost impossible to define which form of Singaporean English (inclusive of fake accents) is in fact the 'Native English'. Therefore, Ruby Pan expresses her confusion at the lack of specification regarding which variety of Singaporean English is the supposed 'Native English' by very aptly says, "Native to where?"
ReplyDeleteAmy
13AO1E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc6mLwOa2Ig
ReplyDeleteThat link is to a Margaret Cho video. In the first minute or so, she talks about her "native language". (The other three minutes are just her being silly.) The video isn't really thaaaat illustrative or even really that relevant, but I thought i could share it anyway :)
I think when Ruby Pan was expected to speak like a "Native English Speaker", she was expected to speak a prescribed variety of "correct" English, as decreed by the MOE.
I don't know if I'm right, but I have always believed that one's "native" language would refer to his/her first language. I consider the language I think in to be my first language. Given my failure as a Chinese(-speaking) person, I think I can quite confidently say I am effectively monolingual. I think predominantly in English, with smatterings of rubbish words from everywhere else. Wouldn't that make me a "native speaker" of English? Or do I not have a native language?
The sort of English taught in schools is expected to be a particular standardized form, that is, the sort of English spoken by a "Native English Speaker". I think whoever thought that up equated a Native English Speaker to an English (as in England English) English Speaker (I don't know why I'm capitalizing everything but never mind), speaking in RP Queen's English. I think Ruby Pan needed specification because the term "Native English Speaker" is ambiguous, and frankly, ridiculous.
(Sorry, I know I'm not very coherent, but I think basically what I mean to say is: I think the issue lies in how "native" is defined.)
Ashley
13A03B