Is using "native" as a noun to refer to native speakers of a language (as opposed to people native to an area) incorrect, potentially offensive, or both? For example:
It's ok to start speaking in [Hindi/Maori/Mongolian/English/Japanese] with the natives from day one.
Best Answer
I don't recommend you speak this way. I can't say it's "incorrect", but it's certainly a poor choice.
Calling someone "a native" can be interpreted as conflating the place you were born with the language you spoke from birth. There are, for example, native speakers of Japanese who were born outside Japan, and thus are not "Japanese natives" by the usual definition of the word native. If you say you're a "Japanese native", are you talking about the place you're from or the language you speak? It's unclear.
Worse, if someone interprets it as referring to nationality, ethnicity, or heritage, it's possible they may take offense. This depends on the person, the social context, and how they expect to be addressed. I don't think it's likely to be offensive in most contexts to most speakers, but it does have that potential, and that's another reason to avoid it.
I recommend always using the phrase native speaker, and if you want to specify what language, writing out native speaker of English. This avoids any possible ambiguity or offense.