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I was born in Amsterdam, Holland. I learnt Dutch from my parents and in school. Around the age of 5-6 I started learning English. I watched English television and had English conversations with my mother and we also had frequent English speaking guests in our home, with whom I spoke English. I spoke English well before I started learning it in school around the age of 11. When I was 13 I moved to Denmark and lived in an all-English speaking community for 9 years. I also continued my schooling in English as well as further studies.

Now I speak English as my first language. I still speak Dutch, but it's not quite as fluent as English. These days people assume I'm American when they hear me speak. I work in English, I speak English at home, I read English fiction for leisure, etc. I also tend to find grammatical and typographical mistakes very quickly, and I speak better English than most people I know, including slang.

So now I'm interested to know if English is really my first language, and if I am a native English speaker.

Eliza
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  • That's quite fascinating.We're entering into the realms of what constitutes a "native speaker". If you speak, think and write in English 24/7, and you understand its grammar, and can speak slang then I'd say you are a naturalised speaker of English :) – Mari-Lou A Jan 20 '16 at 16:12
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    You ain't native, you are naturalized! – BiscuitBoy Jan 20 '16 at 16:14
  • Is it relevant to anything whether you are a native speaker ? Some language schools only employ native speakers, but I wouldn't have thought you would have any trouble persuading them that you are one. – WS2 Jan 20 '16 at 17:23
  • Related http://english.stackexchange.com/q/87034/105642 – anemone Jan 20 '16 at 17:28
  • @WS2 you are right. I thought it would be an issue as I've just started looking for a job as an English Teacher, but I did my first interview today and they were definitely satisfied with my proficiency. – Eliza Jan 21 '16 at 17:22

1 Answers1

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IMO, I'd say you are a native English speaker, as its your native form of communication, both written and verbally.

(Additionally, I would also say, if the 'voice in your head', ie, you to yourself, speaks English then, its even more evidence of native speaker of English.)

rkchl
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