Sed writes (in bold print):

Sed:

I never said anything was "wrong". I’m just one person — not the inventor of the English language. Let’s sit back and see what other English speakers from around the world have to say. After we’ve gathered some facts, we can do some analysis and draw some conclusions.

Phil asks: “By the way, even today, if we were speaking Arabic, I would infer that “native speakers” referred to native *Arabic* speakers. Would that be weird?”

That’s an interesting question. I think it wouldn’t be weird when expressed in English, by way of analogy with the term “native speaker” when referring to English. However, in Arabic, the term is simply “Arabic speakers” (ناطقي اللغة العربية). You either speak Arabic or you don’t. And it makes sense within the framework of Arabic, considering that no one speaks standard Arabic natively, and also that some of the highest authorities on Arabic were not native speakers. Sibawayh, whose book <em>Al-Kitaab</em> (literally simply called <em>The Book</em>) was the first Arabic grammar book ever written and considered one of the highest—if not <em>the</em> highest—authorities on Arabic grammar of all time, was Persian who learned Arabic as an adult. And this is true for quite a few of the most renowned Arabic grammarians/scholars.

Phil, May I ask about 2 things please? 😃

Well, I’m a native speaker as well 😁 A native Arabic speaker. I’m not referring to this discussion because you specifically said “native English speakers” but I see it every where on italki and in real life that people no longer care to mention which language they are referring to and assume that every “native speaker” is a “native English speaker”.

I know that English is the world's lingua franca! Do you think or expect that in the near future native Mandarin Chinese speakers would be the new “native speakers”?

Sed writes (He used bold print):

Sed, that’s exactly what this post is about. Thank you for commenting on it.

Sed writes:

<em>I hope I didn`t hurt your feelings. </em>

Don’t worry — you didn’t. Why would you have?

Sed writes:

<em>Funny thing that natives do is finding the smallest details and then throw it to non-native speakers so they can argue or be always correct.</em>

I don’t know what you’re talking about. My post, about some of the most commonly used expressions is educational and for the benefit of learners.

You’re welcome! 

Hey Phil,

that was just an example that I gave in another discussion. I wasn`t only referring to native speakers.

I hope I didn`t hurt your feelings. Anyway! I have heard it many times(from non natives). Funny thing that natives do is finding the smallest details and then throw it to non-native speakers so they can argue or be always correct.

You can always find mistakes if you obsessively look for them. Anyway! The example that I gave was just an "example" of people repeating the same thing because they`ve been taught to say like robots. It doesn`t matter if it`s - you, how about you,yourself or and you - non natives don`t see any difference in those options.

<a href="https://www.italki.com/discussion/246803" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.italki.com/discussion/246803</a>;