The Differences Between Native Speakers And Philologists
Updated: Jun 7
This short essay aims to clarify what the differences there are between a native speaker and a person who technically knows a language. You may have thought about how ordinary people take advantage of a language to meet their needs, but rarely drawn attention to the very fact that how language is employed by a native speaker and a philologist. Before providing the readers with some information about dissimilarities between these two groups, I would like to shed light on the definitions beginning with a philologist. A philologist is a person who pursues careful studying of the development of a language. Philologists analyze literary texts that find their roots in both historical and political contexts. A native speaker, as the term represents, is a person who learns a target language from early childhood. In what follows, the issue under consideration will be illuminated in more depth.
While philologists gain knowledge about a language through taking certain academic programs and courses, native speakers naturally realize the nuances of their mother tongue. The former has the capacity to explore the meanings that are hidden behind words and phrases. This is because philologists are required to interpret historically important manuscripts. The latter, on the other hand, is expected to understand slangs and phrases that are socially constructed in their community.
Based on what was mentioned before, it can be concluded that philologists and native speakers take on distinctive duties. Philologists, for instance, can assist politicians and policymakers in scrutinizing treaties, agreements, and contracts. Its significance lies in the very fact that a certain group of terms may reflect particular implications for a nation. Whereas, native speakers are likely to undertake responsibilities that are bound with industrial sectors, business, legal affairs, counseling, healthcare, and elementary education. The reason rests in the reality that native speakers are capable of grasping the common sense.