The English language today is learnt mainly with the goal of communicating with other non-native users. The lecture will look at how non-native users adapt and change English to suit their communicative purpose, thus keeping their identity without necessarily copying native speakers' behaviours. We will question the concepts of a '母語話者' and 'proper' or 'Standard English', asking whether they are valid models and goals for most students. The talk will end with implications for language teaching, translation and interpreting, and the advantages of non-native speaker teachers. (This lecture was given by Professor Michal B. Paradowski).