Fear of speaking English and what to do about it

One day during our vacation in Cancun, Mexico, my husband and I went to a grocery store and asked one of the workers for something we couldn’t find. We didn’t speak Spanish, but we tried our best to communicate what we wanted using hand gestures and a few Spanish words. But she was so terrified by the fact that we spoke English that she didn’t even try to understand us. Her eyes widened and she panicked, repeating “no English, no English, no English.” Although most people’s fear of communicating in a foreign language might not be so extreme, many still experience vivid signs of anxiety.

 

Click here to see a newer version of this post, which also includes a video 🎥 from my YouTube channel LingoAdventure.

 

Recently, when doing some research about language learning and fluency, I came across the word xenoglossophobia. Now, any word that is longer and harder to pronounce than my last name always pokes my curiosity 😅. The term comes from Greek, where xeno means foreign, glosso means language, and phobos means fear. Wikipedia describes xenoglossophobia as a foreign language anxiety, which is:

 

the feeling of unease, worry, nervousness and apprehension experienced in learning or using a second or foreign language.

 

I knew that this is exactly what many non-native speakers of English feel when they speak to native speakers. What I didn’t know is that this often debilitating feeling had an official name.

What causes anxiety when speaking English as a second or foreign language

There are several factors that can cause fear and anxiety when we learn English.

School system

First, the school systems in many countries still use the old-fashioned method of drilling grammar and words with no context. But this method doesn’t teach people to speak, it just gives them some knowledge about the language. This method also relies heavily on tests that punish students for making mistakes. Eventually people develop fear of using the language because they think that they are constantly being judged.

Bias against nonnative speakers

Another factor is bias against nonnative speakers who live in an English speaking country. According to a study, speakers with certain foreign accents are perceived to be less friendly, less truthful, and sometimes even less intelligent. Consequently, these speakers report a lack of sense of belonging in the place where they’re trying to establish a new life. They are aware of the stigma against people with foreign accents and this awareness makes them anxious when they have to speak.

Self-confidence and personality traits

Other factors include self-confidence, personality traits such as extraversion and introversion, openness to new experiences, and peer and family support. For example, some linguists argue that extroverts’ outgoing attitudes help them become proficient speakers faster. That doesn’t mean that extroverts are better language learners than introverts. But introverts might just be a little more anxious to speak.

What happens in the brain

In language-related fear, two neural systems are involved: the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is responsible for creating, maintaining, and modifying fear and anxiety. It’s responsible for our emotions and operates unconsciously. On the other hand, the prefrontal cortex is our thinking brain. It’s responsible for our logical reasoning, concentration, and conscious memories.

The information is first processed by the “emotional” amygdala, and later by the “logical” cortex. The amygdala triggers feelings and responses that are unknown to the cortex. For example, if you have previously experienced an emotional reaction to something in your life – an event, a person, an exam, a presentation in English etc. – if put in the same situation, the amygdala might trigger the same reaction in you before you have the chance to logically analyze what you are dealing with.

Unfortunately, when anxiety and fear start in the amygdala, the cortex is unable to reduce this fear. This is almost like a quarrel between conscious and unconscious; a fight between the amygdala and the cortex, where the cortex gives in.

The cortex, however, can also produce anxiety that might not be related to the situation we are currently facing. Overthinking a potential future situation or what-iffing (yes, this is a real word 😉) all the time about what kind of bad things might happen (e.g.: “What if I make a mistake?”), can create a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is, the situation we are preparing for may go worse just because we created bad images in our mind. This would potentially create future fears and anxieties as well.

Steps to overcoming fear of speaking English (or any other foreign language)

The good news is that we don’t have to succumb to fear. We can fight irrational anxiety and claim our power back. We can show the amygdala who the boss is! 😉 From a psychological point of view, there are two approaches that you can take to tame your fear of speaking English: cognitive behavioral therapy and confrontational therapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

This option includes facing your negative and limiting thoughts and changing and swapping them with more positive ones. First, identify the root of your negative attitudes. Think about what triggered them. Has someone commented on your English in a condescending way? Has someone ever laughed at you because you made a mistake? Maybe you got a low score on a test and you think your English is not good enough? Or maybe someone asked you to repeat what you’d said and you think that your pronunciation is bad?

Once you identify what caused your negative belief about the level of your English, you can gradually start replacing it with a more positive belief. If you’ve been telling yourself “my English is not good enough. I’ll never sound the way I want to,” you can change your narrative. Your new thought might be “I might not be as fluent as I want to yet, but I am a good communicator and can convey any idea I want to.” Consistently tell yourself that you are capable of learning anything you put your mind into.

This approach might seem easier said than done. It’s hard to convince yourself of something you don’t believe to be true. It takes time, but it will eventually work if you are persistent. Surround yourself with positive people who support you and want you to succeed.

Confrontational therapy

This option is about being confronted with a situation that causes you anxiety. The goal here is that you face your fear and realize that there are no negative consequences. You can be mentored by a psychologist or become a part of a supportive group that will offer you a safe environment to experiment and “make mistakes.” As a result, you will gradually overcome your fear of speaking English.

In a world that constantly tells you to confront your fears and go out of your comfort zone, this approach can also seem intimidating. But it is indeed a crucial step towards your new YOU. At the end, you will gain a sense of accomplishment and will become unstoppable.

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Have you ever doubted your English skills or felt anxious when you had to speak with others, whom you considered to be more fluent than you? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Remember that your comment can change someone’s life. We often think that no one understands what we are going through, but the truth is that we are more similar than we think. It’s important to see that we are not alone.

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