This is a topic that keeps coming up in various forms in different writing sites. I have thought about blogging about it before and then decided to pass. It is an idea that irked me early on, and now it wearies me. As someone currently making a living based on my English language skills, there is no getting away from it and so I figure I will state what I feel about this issue.
Who or what is a Native English Writer? Someone born in a country where the primary language is English – this seems to be the work-a-day definition. A stroll around websites will quickly dispel the myth that all native English writers are better than those who may have grown up bilingual. While I do not deny that mother-tongue interference and idiomatic trip-ups are rampant in many non-native writers, the idea that a blanket test for writers is their place of birth strikes me as Victorian. Do we speak of native Math users? – Given that the concepts have been shared, can anyone claim “We got there first!” Are you more likely to be terrible at Math if you were not born where the Arabic numerals, Roman numerals or the zero were first used?
For me, the English language is a concept in a similar way. The reality of the “Empire where the sun never sets” is that there are English writers around the world. Some good and some not so good – but the distinction is definitely not to be based on their location alone. To continue to assume that people without Judeo-Christian names are likely to be poor English writers or speakers is a prejudice that needs to be challenged. Please read Rushdie or Seth. Although when I mention Rushdie, I remember an episode from a book club a few years ago. We were discussing Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children’ and there were some opinions that the language use was different because he is a non-native user! I had to say it – “The man is playing with the language because he is a master of it!”
Limiting frameworks abound everywhere. While academia has been dealing with unwieldy concepts such as the canon and figuring out subaltern, the bursting of bloggers and social media content producers had created its own variety of categorization. For example, WordPress in all its Freshly Pressed choices tends to pick writers largely from the US or Americans recording their insights from overseas. I guess it is inevitable sampling error, but when I see statements like “best of 400981,” I do roll my eyes! I know this sounds sort of like envy – and there’s a healthy dash of that thrown in there – but I think it is something to think about, don’t you?
I hope that those who stumble across this blog start to think twice about making assumptions – because that, ladies and gentlemen, is only a hop, skip and jump away from prejudice.
P.S. I was very aware that in this post, more than anywhere else, I cannot afford to have any glaring errors – so big thanks to my in-house Editor for some critical catches!
Stringing Words Together 
I couldn’t agree with you more! I’ve read more crappy native English writers than I care to mention, and some might think I’m a crappy native English writer.
Thanks for agreeing that native has little to do with English writing….
And may I say, you fall under the category of fantastic native English writer!
I completely agree! It annoys me too when native English writers point fingers of non-native writers to make themselves feel superior (or whatever their reason is).
While, as you say, we non-native writers are prone to mother-tongue interference and other mishaps, I believe that talent for writing in one language can be transferred successfully into another language and enrich that language. Especially when the new language is an omnipresent Lingua Franca like English.
I wrote about the same topic recently in Blogging in Lingua Franca after stumbling across the post Bloggers Who Are Not Native English Speakers Struggle More by an American blogger. The post provoked me with its naive assumptions about non-native writers, sticky ’empathy’ and uninspired writing style, and it didn’t allow me to comment, so… Anyway, I meet the assumptions fairly often and love when someone stands up against them.
Thank you for stopping by and for sharing your thoughts, Mados. I see this is a topic that bothers you also ….I am going now to read your link!
Are you native writer of English yourself?
You appear to be, I just ask because you chose to write about the topic.
I am bilingual and my mother-tongue is not English – but I grew up in an English-based educational environement. Given where I live now, people are generally accepting of my language skills; but I still see this description used in too many freelancing sites and I felt compelled to make a statement!
I hope I am not too nosy, just in case you don’t mind to tell – what is your mother-tongue?
I think city people in ‘nations of immigration’ like the US and Australia tend to be accepting of accents and non-native language skills. They better be:-)
Hope you got my note!
Yes, one of the wonderful things about these countries is that they are, by and large, open-minded and accepting.
Thank you Shoba! Yes I got your note.