What characterizes ENL speakers?

ENL speakers, or English as a Native Language speakers, are characterized as individuals for whom English is their first language. This means that English is the language they learned from early childhood and is the primary language they use in their daily lives, cultural expressions, and social interactions. This distinguishes them from those who may speak English as a second or foreign language, where English is not their primary mode of communication, but rather an additional language learned later in life.

In contrast, other options refer to various contexts of English use. For instance, speakers of English as a foreign language typically acquire it in a context where it is not the dominant language of the society they live in. Those using English as an official language in a specific country may not necessarily consider it their first language, as they might belong to communities where other languages are predominantly spoken. Similarly, speakers learning English in a non-English speaking country are typically learners rather than native users of the language, further emphasizing that they do not have the same level of fluency or native competency that ENL speakers possess.