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Vital words for understanding
Apologise – to say sorry for something you did or said.
Reflect – to think deeply or carefully about something.
Resort to – to do something (often a bad or extreme action) because you have no other choice.
Justify – to give a reason or explanation for something to show it is fair or correct.
Frustrating – making you feel annoyed, upset, or discouraged.
Embarrassing – making someone feel ashamed, uncomfortable, or self-conscious.
Self-doubt – a lack of confidence in yourself or your abilities.
Ignorant – lacking knowledge or awareness about something.
Diplomacy – the skill of dealing with people or governments in a respectful and effective way.
Turmoil – a state of great confusion, disorder, or uncertainty.
Inferior – lower in quality, status, or ability compared to someone else.
Discourage – to make someone feel less confident or motivated to do something.
„I apologise for my English.“
This single sentence made me stop and reflect.
You’re probably well aware of the political turmoil in the world right now. I follow it, but I hesitated to write about it. That’s why I went two weeks without publishing anything. I was searching for a different topic—something about English learning. But then I thought: I can’t not talk about this.
I’ll try to stay neutral. Those who know me already understand where I stand, and frankly, I have no need to justify my views. So let’s return to that opening sentence: I apologize for my English.
When I heard it, it broke my heart. Not because of my work, my message, or my teaching. But because I know how painful, frustrating, and exhausting it is to feel the need to say those words.
And you know what frustrates me the most? The people who say this are the ones who shouldn’t feel this way at all.Speaking a foreign language is not embarrassing. It’s not weird, stupid, or laughable. It’s badass. It’s brave. It’s cool.
So where does this self-doubt come from? Why do language learners feel the need to apologize? Why are they so critical of themselves?
Is it society? The school system? Family? I honestly don’t know, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What I do know is this:
The people who should be ashamed of themselves often have the most confidence. The truly ignorant are the loudest.
And you can see this everywhere – even in places that are supposed to represent intelligence, class, and diplomacy.
Take, for example, a certain recent political event. Watching it from a professional perspective, as a language teacher, was mind-blowing. In a conversation between native and non-native speakers, how is it possible that the foreigner spoke English more clearly than the native speakers? Because language isn’t just about how you sound – it’s about what you say.
One side communicated in a foreign language. The other two? Native speakers. And yet, they resorted to yelling at someone who might not have had the same vocabulary, who might not have fully understood their accent. Come on.
And this, right here, is what’s wrong with society.
English learners work hard every single day to understand and be understood. That is the power of language. And if someone’s English is stronger, the right thing to do is help the other person understand you. That’s the whole reason we learn languages – to communicate.
So what does it say about people who enjoy making others feel lost and inferior?
I’ll let you decide.
If you’re reading this, thank you for sticking around. I just want to add a few words of encouragement because I know the message was quite heavy.
The good people – the ones who truly matter – will treat you with kindness and respect, no matter how many mistakes you make. Please don’t let negativity or ignorance discourage you, and never let it make you give up.
Yes, there will always be someone who tries to bring you down. But you? You just need to stay patient, stay strong, and keep going.
And remember – I’m always in your corner! 💙