non-native speaker
Acquired the tongue
A non-native speaker is someone who learned a language after childhood, rather than acquiring it as a first language from birth.
The term often appears in discussions of language proficiency, accent, or fluency: The course is designed for non-native speakers of English.
It implies competence without necessarily implying mastery.
Skilled performance level
- bilingualismProficiency in two languages
- multilingualismMultiple language proficiency
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
- accentRegional speech pattern
intonation · comprehension · vocabulary · grammar · idioms · eloquence · articulacy · expression
Evolving system between tongues
- fossilizationOrganic remains becoming mineral
- transferMove between locations
- interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
- language barrierMutual incomprehension across tongues
overgeneralization · mispronunciation · false friends · language anxiety · miscommunication · literal translation
Adopting another group's customs
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- integrationCombining into a whole
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- socializationInternalizing cultural norms
customs · etiquette · norms · identity · heritage · cosmopolitan · belonging · social cues
Assessment measuring skill level
- TOEFLEnglish proficiency exam
- IELTSEnglish proficiency examination
- certificationAttestation of qualification
- placementPutting somewhere specific
evaluation · examination · score · benchmark · qualification · standardized test · oral exam · written test
proficiency
Skilled performance level
- bilingualismProficiency in two languages
- multilingualismMultiple language proficiency
- pronunciationManner of speaking words
accent · intonation · comprehension · vocabulary · grammar · idioms · eloquence · articulacy · expression · colloquialism
interlanguage
Evolving system between tongues
- fossilizationOrganic remains becoming mineral
- transferMove between locations
- interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
language barrier · overgeneralization · mispronunciation · false friends · language anxiety · miscommunication · literal translation
acculturation
Adopting another group's customs
- assimilationAbsorbing into a whole
- integrationCombining into a whole
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
socialization · customs · etiquette · norms · identity · heritage · cosmopolitan · belonging · social cues · host country
proficiency test
Assessment measuring skill level
- TOEFLEnglish proficiency exam
- IELTSEnglish proficiency examination
- certificationAttestation of qualification
placement · evaluation · examination · score · benchmark · qualification · standardized test · oral exam · written test · competency
language exchange
Mutual foreign tongue practice
practice · drills · phrases · beginner · study · immersion · classroom · curriculum · exercises · flashcards
- English worldwideBritish English, dialect, accent, lingua franca, ESL
- multilingualspolyglot, bilingual, trilingual, quadrilingual, interpreter
- communicatorsexplainer, orator, presenter, announcer, broadcaster
- language changelanguage change, linguistic diffusion, loan words, creolization, Great Vowel Shift