Meaning of Idiom ‘Go Native’
When a person goes native, they begin to live according to the culture, manners, and traditions of a country other than their own, such as one they are living in or visiting; to adopt a new way of life different from one’s original customs; to begin to live like the local people.
Usage Notes
Go native is often used in a tongue-in-cheek or joking way to describe someone who enthusiastically embraces the customs of a host country. However, it was originally used in a derogatory way to refer to someone who chooses to live with native tribes-people or any culture seen as primitive or less developed. This idiom is often used in the negative sense in the standalone phrase “Don’t go native on me.”
Examples Of Use
“He was a renowned anthropologist but he spent too much time with the tribe and ended up going native.”
“He moved to California last year and now he’s gone completely native. He spends most of his time at the beach, surfing and just hanging around.”
“Be careful. If you stay here too long you’ll go native. The fresh air has a way of getting inside you.”
Origin
Used since the early 1900s, during the colonial era, this idiom was originally a contemptuous allusion to British colonists in Africa, India, etc. who identified too closely with the culture of the indigenous people.
