In an effort to bind the native speaker, Medgyes (1992) introduced a note worthy’s outline focuses found in oft-quoted definitions (Stern 1983, Crystal 1985, Richards et al. 1985, David 1991). Thus the native speaker of, say, English is someone who:
- was born in an English-speaking country; and/or
- acquired English during childhood in an English-speaking family or environment
- speak English as his/her first language
- has a native-like command of English
- has the capacity to produce fluent, spontaneous discourse in English;
- uses the English language creatively;
- has reliable intuitions to distinguish right and wrong forms in English