'non-English-speaking' is a compound formed from the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not'), the word 'English' (from Old English 'Englisc', referring to the people/language of the Angles), and the present participle 'speaking' (from Old English 'specan'/'sprecan').

The prefix 'non-' came into English usage via Latin and later French to mark negation; 'Englisc' in Old English referred to the language/people of the Angles and evolved into modern 'English'; the Old English verb 'specan'/'sprecan' developed into Middle English 'speken' and modern 'speak', with the participle form becoming 'speaking'. The modern hyphenated compound 'non-English-speaking' arose by combining these elements to describe persons who do not speak English.

Initially the components separately meant 'not' + 'of or relating to English' + 'speaking'; over time the compounded phrase came to be used specifically to describe people or groups who do not speak English (i.e., 'does not speak English').