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The languages we speak are an important part of who we are. They help us to understand the world in different ways. They open us to meeting interesting people, learning new things, and being ourselves.
So when we learn a language, we need to make it our own. We can choose which words to use and how to use them.
In this blog post, I'll talk about how to speak English YOUR way.
Do you feel like a different person when you speak English?
This is very common. Many people feel like their personality changes when they speak different languages. For example, English is a very polite language. Speakers use "please," "thank you," and "sorry" a lot, so some learners might feel that they become more polite (or too polite) when they speak English.
I personally feel more confident in English than in Spanish. In Spanish, I'm quieter, but I still try to make silly jokes. I always want to make everyone smile and that part of my personality has become part of how I speak Spanish.
Take a couple of minutes to think about how your personality changes in different languages.
Adopt a catchphrase
I often visit my cousin's Italian family in the summer. My Italian is mostly food, campsite, and beach vocabulary. However, I have also learned a few key phrases that always bring a smile to the family's faces.
For example, at bedtime, "Sogni d'oro" (sweet dreams or dreams of gold) has become my key phrase. It shows that I'm trying to learn even though their English is a million times better.
Having a catchphrase is a good way to feel welcomed and have a laugh. It can make you feel confident because you know how to say it. It is also a great way to share some of your personality or beliefs.
For example, my Cuban friend often asks me, "Eeeeeh! Emily! Who really cares?" He does this with such a huge, relaxed smile that all my stress disappears.
It is his way of reminding me not to take life so seriously. Whenever I feel stressed or worried, I think of him saying this!
Make your own language
An idiolect is one person's own unique way of using a language. Everyone is different. They know different vocabulary, speak with different accents, and choose to use grammar differently.
Speak your own idiolect with confidence.
Own your "mistakes"
There is no perfect way to speak English. There are hundreds of different Englishes. Even so-called "native" speakers make mistakes and misunderstand each other.
The most confident English language users are often the ones who are not afraid of making mistakes. In fact, they sometimes even choose to make mistakes as part of how they speak English.
They know that the best way to deal with mistakes is to make them YOUR mistakes.
For example, I have a Hungarian friend who is an advanced English speaker and loves to misuse the phrase "back in the day." Instead, he chooses to say "back in days." He does this for fun and as a reminder that he once said it incorrectly, but who really cares? "Back in days" is perfectly understandable.
Some common mistakes have even become popular in English. For example, groups of Spanish and English speakers use the phrase "make a party!" even though they all know it's technically incorrect. As a direct translation, Spanish people "hacer una fiesta" (make a party) while English people "have/throw a party." It is such a common error that some so-called "native" English language users now use it as their own.
Are they really mistakes? If people understand you, maybe they are just a fun part of how you speak English.
Own your accent too
There are hundreds of different ways to speak English. Everyone speaks English differently. The most important thing about pronunciation is to be understood.
Some people want to learn to speak with an American or British accent. But this is really hard. Even so-called "native" speakers have to change how they pronounce some words in order to be understood.
My Italian cousin-in-law has lived in Scotland for nearly 20 years. He speaks English with a little bit of a Scottish accent, but he still has a lovely Italian accent. I love the way he sings my name, speaks with his hands, and adds a little vowel sound to words ending with a consonant. It's part of who he is, and I never want him to change.
I also love the way my Spanish friends say "a leetle beet" when they ask for "a little bit" of cake or add a schwa sound before "s" words, like "a-Spain" or "a-speak." For me, it's not a pronunciation error, but a way for them to share who they are with me.
Mix languages
If you are reading this, you probably already speak another language—or 10. One of the most fun parts of speaking other languages is choosing to use different words.
English borrows hundreds of words from other languages. For example:
- emoji from Japanese
- entrepreneur from French
- kindergarten from German
I have added phrases from other languages I'm learning to my daily English use. This has become part of my idiolect, so my friends and family understand them too.
For example, I often say Spanish phrases like "Hola, mi amor" (Hi, my love) and "nada mas" (nothing else). I also often say "basta" (stop) in hopes that I don't eat too much at Italian mealtimes and "scarpetta" (use bread to clean the sauce from your plate) when I am eating too much.
"Scarpetta" is an amazing word. One reason for this is because cleaning the plate with a piece of bread is delicious. But also, there is no word for this in English.
Mixing languages is a great way to share some of your other languages (and personalities) with the world.
Get colorful
One day I was sitting, reading my book in a park. Nearby, I could hear two people chatting together in Dutch. One was telling the other a story, while the other was listening. All of a sudden, one of them started swearing in English.
In the Netherlands, most people speak Dutch and English. The speaker chose to switch from Dutch to English for that part of their story to give it more power, more drama, more feeling.
In this moment, I loved how they used their languages to express themselves. That's one of the many joys of speaking different languages.
How do you add your personality to the languages you speak?
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