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An Indonesian teacher teaching English is supposed to be a "teacher of English" and NOT an "English teacher". Am I mistaken?

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    An "English teacher" would be assumed by most English speakers (at least in the US) to be a teacher of English. Only in certain contexts would it be assumed to instead mean a teacher who is English. Commented Oct 22, 2015 at 2:13
  • "English teacher" is standard. "Teacher of English" would only be applicable in such phrases as "She's a teacher of English and other quaint disciplines." Commented Oct 22, 2015 at 2:21
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    English teacher meaning someone who is English and a teacher is pronounced differently from the phrase meaning someone who teaches English. Also, in the US, English teacher doesn't mean someone who teaches the English language; it means someone who teaches reading and writing to native speakers of English in classes which are called "English classes". English classes for non-native speakers are called English language classes, or EFL, ESL, TESL, TEFL, TOEFL, or some other acronym. In America, students in English classes do not learn much about the English language. Commented Oct 22, 2015 at 3:03
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    @JohnLawler I have to say, that is quite insightful. Commented Jun 5, 2016 at 10:08

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"English teacher" is fine in most circumstances and is probably more common.

Only if you want to be especially precise and unambiguous would you need to use "teacher of English" instead.

I think that 99% of the time or more, a native speaker would interpret "English teacher" as a teacher of the English language, not a teacher whose nationality is English.

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  • Indeed, I do agree with you... Commented Oct 22, 2015 at 5:06
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In speech whether a teacher is English or teaches English depends entirely on the stress used in the sentence. A teacher of English is referred to as an:

  • 'English teacher

Here these two words form a compound noun and are stressed just on the first syllable of the compound.

However, a teacher from England (who might teach anything at all) will be referred to as:

  • an 'English 'Teacher

Here we see an adjective noun combination. Each word will have its own stress in a normal pronunciation. Because teacher will probably be the last word in the utterance, the first syllable, teach, in the second word will have a higher pitch and seem more prominent than the stressed syllable Eng in the adjective English.

We see this pattern in other compound nouns and adjective plus noun combinations. For example, this is a 'greenhouse:

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But this is a 'green 'house enter image description here

I myself am a 'Scottish 'English teacher!

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  • There;s no ambiguity in your example "a Scottish English teacher", and I'd argue in speech there's be none for the "an English English teacher" but without any context and in texts the ambiguity between someone who is English and is a teacher and someone who teaches English persists. The easiest and quickest solution, in text, is to rephrase it. Commented May 9, 2019 at 11:58
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Well it really depends on context. If you're referring to the teachers credentials, it would be appropriate to call them a teacher of English and an English teacher. However, if you're describing the teachers ethnic-group, English teacher would fit the description. Keep in mind that many English speaking countries and speakers commonly refer to an English teacher with the former description above.

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English teacher is ambiguous. In most circumstances is means a teacher of English. The same as a physics teacher, a reading teacher, and a mathematics teacher.

But English teacher could mean a teacher from England. So yes, it is ambiguous. Some good jokes may be made depending on this ambiguous meaning.

A swimming teacher is a teacher of swimming ... or a teacher who swims.

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There are (at least) three interpretations of English teacher:

  • A school teacher who specializes in teaching "English classes": such a class (such as in high school) is a mishmash of subjects closest to grammar intended for students who already understand and communicate in English language: grammar, spelling, reading and literature, sentence structure, writing essays and short stories, etc. This is certainly the most common meaning in the U.S. Note also that U.S. public schools do a very poor job of teaching English grammar, writing, etc. (Just look at any online forum used by the public at large.)
  • A teacher who teaches English to students who do not already understand English well. This would mostly be distinguished as an ESL teacher (English as a second language).
  • A teacher in England could be considered an English teacher even if they teach automotive repair or gymnastics, but this would mostly be used in a joke or a thoroughly confused situation.

A teacher of English is an unfamiliar (or at least uncommon) construction, but most likely means the second interpretation.

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    in the uk we have the phrase TEFL: Teach English as a Foreign Language. Commented May 9, 2019 at 9:45

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