what does it mean when you are asked if english is your first language?

Question

because if you are fluent in egnlish and well advanced i.e you got no problem with language yet you have your other mother tounge does it make a second or first language?

Answer 1

first language = the first one you ever learn.

Answer 2

The term "first language" refers to your primary language. Your "second language" would be another language that you know. For example, if you were born and raised in the U.S., English is probably your primary language, but you may have learned Spanish or French in school, or because your grandmother speaks one of those languages. So then Spanish (or French) would be your second language. Sometimes you'll hear teachers mention teaching ESL classes, or an ESL student. That means they are teaching someone who has come from another country, and therefore speaks a different language. They are learning English as their second language.

Answer 3

first language is the language that you spoke in you Birth place.


By the way its English , not Egnlish

Answer 4

nora - what about American, Australian, etc. It has nothing to do with your accent!!!

They literally mean which language did you learn first but these days it is more than acceptable to have two 'first' languages due to the amount of people who immigrate in to foreign countries (or English ones!) and their children are raised speaking one language at home and one at school. being equally proficient at both from a very young age.

Answer 5

When asked if English is your first language, it means was English the first language you ever learned. If it wasn't, select no as the answer and put down the first language you were ever taught.

Answer 6

In general it means what is the natural language of your birth and/or residence. The one you are likely to be most proficient at. If you are completely fluent in several languages, I suppose, depending on the purpose of the question, you could take your pick.

Answer 7

English is your first language if it is the one that was spoken to you as an infant and the one that you spoke your first words in. It has nothing to do with where this occurred. Many bi-lingual and multi-lingual children have a first and second language before they start school.

Answer 8

its pretty much what ever language you grew up with. what was the first you knew. but if ur fluent in english id stress that somewhere too. but it could be a major advantage to you if that language u learnt first is popular. perhaps look for jobs as a translator

Answer 9

It means you have a non-English accent.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Some second-language English speakers know it better and express themselves better than first language English speakers.

Don't take offense without cause. Someone is just asking an innocent question--not claiming that you can't speak English.

Answer 10

your first language is the first one you learn usually in the country of birth then others you learn are second, third or fourth languages