So I was thinking about the topic of languages again and I started wondering again…
So I learned Cantonese as a kid, then learned Mandarin and the Chinese Writing system when I started school, in China. Then immigrated to the US, started learning English when I was still under age 10, which is according to wikipedia, still within the “critical period” of learning a language
There is much debate over the timing of the critical period with respect to second-language acquisition (SLA), with estimates ranging between 2 and 13 years of age.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_period_hypothesis
So then, I um… kinda forgot how to speak Mandarin, and most of Chinese written characters. Still kinda speak Cantonese because its for home. But barely know any words, so I can’t even express complex ideas like philosophy, science, politics. I never really spoke to anyone in Mandadin, and for Cantonese, its only at home.
But I never actually learned Cantonese or Mandarin beyond the basics. And for Mandarin the proficiency is even worse than Cantonese, I’ll have to think the words in Cantonese then convert it to Mandarin (its mostly the same written characters, but different pronunciation).
My English is so proficient, its really the only language I can effectively communicate in. And my classmates have told me they don’t notice any “accents” when I talk.
So which is my Native Language? “First” Language?
I mean… it’s kinda weird to call a language “native” if I could barely speak it.
It’s not the “native” defines how or when you learned to speak a language. It’s that how and when you learned a language that makes it “native”.
As a bonus, since this is English, “native language” also changes definition based on context. If you are filling out a form and they are asking demographical information, your native language is Cantonese. If you are filling out a resume and want to describe how well you speak English, then you can read/write English at the native level.
If you are in a casual conversation and someone asks what your native language is, then your answer will likely include a whole or part of the above story, to avoid confusion and to encourage more discussion. Essentially, both Cantonese and English fit your “native language” definition in that context.