Those who don’t respect their own native language are indeed hypocrites, as they are not worthy of respect from others. In India, English is widely spoken and written. It has become deeply rooted in our hearts and souls. But what a few Indians think of English is not justifiable. Even today, after being enlightened for more than seven decades since the British left India, our tongues appear enslaved. In India, speaking in English has become a status symbol without any reason. People think English is the language of the rich, urbane, and learned. Speaking English has become a game changer, a psychological advantage over others, and an intimidating affair for those who cannot speak so.

How to improve Spoken English?

I, as an instructor of the English language, must say, do not get bothered by your spoken English. If you can communicate in English, that is good; if you can’t, then communicate not in spoken English but in broken English. Never ever feel low. Remember, English is not our native language. We won’t be able to dream in it, express our thoughts properly, or even think in it.

For your professional growth, you should learn spoken English to communicate your thoughts effectively. You need not be Winston Churchill. Few people in India are fanatics; their English may not be unquestionable, but they cannot expect everyone to be a Shakespeare. They do not know where to put definite articles or the correct rules of grammar. In upscale institutions, the management desperately tries to enforce English communication skills among students. They fail because of the aggressive nature of imparting a holistic approach to learning English.

So those who lack spoken English skills should never lose heart. Do not consider speaking English as a status symbol but merely as an academic and professional requirement. Make learning English every day a habit. Give yourself enough time to get comfortable with the  language. Do not entangle yourself with the nitty-gritty of grammar. There is no right or wrong in any spoken language, be it English or Hindi. What matters most is communicating effectively. Write 100 words about your favourite topic, learn it by heart, speak on your YouTube channel, and find your likeminded peers. Then see to it. After a period of time, you will start feeling confident. Increase the practise. A man can speak one or two sentences at a stretch while conversing.

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The only normal way to begin speaking in a new language is to begin speaking badly – Grey Thomson

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Speak in front of the video camera as if you are talking to somebody. Stick to your normal accent. Someone who speaks English better than you does not mean he or she is superior to you. I remember in my college days, an upstart girl who could speak English fluently made the college atmosphere intimidating. Being a semi-urban college, the students were from the vernacular, so they ran helter-skelter whenever she was in the vicinity. One day she was talking to me, and I, as usual, was speaking in English at a slow pace. By chance, in the course of our conversation, I asked her what parts of speech are in the word ‘potentiality. The day she stopped talking to me, she had never before ventured to talk to me in English. So, it is a wrong mindset to think that those who speak English are better, and practically, it is just the opposite.

Read Further: Indian English