non-speaker

IPA/ˌnɒnˈspiː.kər/
IPA/ˌnɑːnˈspiː.kɚ/

non-speaker — noun

1. a person who has not learned or does not use a particular language in daily life

1.名詞B2
釋義

a person who has not learned or does not use a particular language in daily life

例句

Ravindra is a non-speaker of Japanese and uses a translation app when visiting Tokyo.

non-speaker + of + [language name]

The evening class is for non-speakers of Spanish who want to learn basic travel phrases.

countable plural: non-speakers of + [language]

同義詞
  • non-native speaker

    refers to someone who speaks a language but not as a first language, whereas 'non-speaker' means no ability at all

  • learner

    broader term that includes beginners as well as advanced students; 'non-speaker' emphasises the current lack of ability

反義詞
  • speaker

    someone who knows and uses the language

  • native speaker

    someone who learned the language from childhood

文法句型

non-speaker + of + [language]

用法筆記

Only sense that combines freely with 'of + [language]' — a speaker of a language is that language's speaker, so a non-speaker is someone who does not use it.

常見錯誤

❌He is a non-speaker of English from the UK.
✅He is a non-speaker of English even though he lives in the UK.
💡'non-speaker' describes ability or use, not nationality or origin.
❌I am a non-speaker of my native language.
✅I am a non-speaker of Japanese, even though I was born in Japan.
💡'non-speaker' is typically used for languages you have not learned, not your first language.

2. a person who cannot talk because of a physical or psychological condition, or wh

2.名詞C1
釋義

a person who cannot talk because of a physical or psychological condition, or who chooses not to speak in certain situations

例句

Chiara was a non-speaker during her first two years at school due to selective mutism.

non-speaker + due to [condition]

Andrés communicates by typing on a tablet after a stroke left him a non-speaker.

同義詞
  • nonverbal person

    broader term used especially in medical and educational settings; may include people who use gestures or writing instead of spoken words

  • mute

    older term that can sound outdated or offensive; 'non-speaker' is generally preferred in modern professional contexts

反義詞
  • speaker

    someone who communicates using spoken language

  • verbal person

    someone who uses spoken words to communicate

文法句型

non-speaker + noun (e.g. non-speaker child)

article + non-speaker

用法筆記

Subject can be a person of any age; the silence may be temporary (e.g. selective mutism) or permanent (e.g. vocal cord damage). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is about a specific language, while sense 2 is about all speech in any language.

常見錯誤

❌The non-speaker student could speak Spanish but not English.
✅The non-speaker student could not speak at all and used a tablet.
💡sense 2 means no speech in any language, not just one language.
❌He is a non-speaker because he refuses to learn.
✅He is a non-speaker due to a medical condition.
💡sense 2 implies inability or psychological barrier, not a simple choice not to learn.