Was it a mistake?
Was it a mistake?

Was it a mistake?

The next edition of Beyond English Fluency is here. 

If you are new, Beyond English Fluency dives into topics and shares strategies around communication that go beyond language. 

Every other Wednesday (twice per month), I share a theme related to communication that goes into depth about one theme, strategy or idea. Whether you are a non-native English speaking professional or consider yourself a native looking to excel in your communication- you’ll find a strategy that you can apply to your own situation.   

What I am sharing with you today is all about how we can start speaking and using English to overcome the barrier of not wanting to make mistakes. I also highlight the differences between making a mistake or making an error.

Most people are scared of making mistakes. 

Many language learners will go out of their way to avoid making mistakes. 

You prefer to not speak at all instead of risking making a mistake. 

I have always wanted to speak other languages. But before I ever studied or had any understanding linguistics, I thought languages were very rigid and that as long as I learned the rules and vocabulary, that would be pretty much it. 

That is, of course, a very simplistic idea of how languages work. 

One of the most interesting ideas I have learned is that language is almost like a living thing. 

It grows and changes and just like how humans adapt and change, so does our language.

In fact, there are around 1000 new words added to the Oxford English Language Dictionary every year and an estimated 5000 new words that are created. 

Like fashion, there are words that are considered more appropriate or fun or weird and they change over time. 

Our pronunciation changes, new technology is created, we experience a global pandemic…

Here are a few examples: 

Metaverse (noun) = a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users.

Dad joke (noun) a joke that is said to be told by fathers that is weak or unfunny. 

Adulting (noun) = The action of becoming or acting like an adult 

Contactless (Adjective) = Not involving contact, for example a contactless credit or debit card.

There are rules and structures to language, but over time they do evolve and change. 

I remember when I first grasped this concept, that language is like a living being and that it changes, I was a little discouraged. 

I know it might be a bit daunting that there are almost 200 thousand words in English and I am telling you that there are new ones added… 

I have had to embrace that language does and will change - especially English… but that means, we are all a part of it and we can make it our own. 

Some words might be favoured because they sound more powerful or are associated with a particular individual, group or society. 

All languages go through this process of change. 

So, what does this have to do with making mistakes? 

By understanding that makes change and that there is no such thing as ‘perfect language’ - I’ve learned to embrace them. 

The Spanish I learned in Madrid is very difficult to the Spanish I use in Mexico City, and like English, the English I am using at work is very different to the English you are hearing in movies or that is used in Jamaica or New Zealand… and having some perfect way of speaking doesn’t even exist. 

But how can we know if it is a mistake or I am making errors and no one understands me? 

There is a difference in making a language mistake as opposed to making a language error. 

To put it simply, a mistake is made when you make a slip of the tongue. We all do this. You know the word or the rule but do it accidentally. When this happens it’s a matter of being aware of your mistakes, noticing them, and correcting them. 

A common mistake that English language learners make is the misuse of pronouns. 

For example:

My manager Laura (meaning a female), is really great. He is… (he refers to males). 

When this happens, you might already be correcting yourself as soon as you say it. You know that it should be she instead of he but it’s an easy slip of the tongue. 

An error happens because you haven’t learned the rule and you apply the knowledge you have of your first (or other) languages to the language you are learning. 

It happens when children learn to acquire language, too.

When small children learn to speak English as their first language, they will use the rule of adding -ed to make a past tense like 'liked' but will use the rule incorrectly.

You might hear them say 'goed' - instead of went.

This week, I have seen this happen with my parents in Spanish.

They are currently visiting me in Mexico and have limited experience of learning or speaking Spanish.

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When I was younger, we would visit Italy and they have learned to speak some Italian. 

When they are attempting to speak in Spanish, they will confuse some rules of pronunciation of Italian and English when saying words in Spanish.


It can also happen with your pronunciation, word order, verb tenses....

The interference of these languages (English and Italian) means that they will make errors in Spanish.

They have never learned the rules of the language so they don’t have the knowledge of how to implement the language rules.

This is very common when you first start learning and using a new language.

If you think you are making a lot of mistakes when using English and are unsure around what to do, it will help immensely to have a teacher or professional correct you. 

It also helps to be aware of some common errors that speakers of your first language make.

I know for many people who learn English, they are used to learning from books and many strategies haven’t worked. 

You didn’t get the opportunities to speak in your class - possibly because there were a lot of students in your class or the methods of learning English were very traditional or you have taught yourself and picked up some bad habits or never been corrected for the mistakes that you might be making. 

One of the biggest takeaways is that languages change and evolve over time which means we can have fun with them, even years after learning grammar and rules, we are going to make mistakes, even in our first language.

There are some mistakes that can be embarrassing or really awkward and if you know you are making common mistakes or some words always seem to confuse you, don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

I am here to help you and guide you through your language learning journey to build your communication skills and help you feel confident, authentic and powerful when using English. 

If you are not feeling like that, then don’t hesitate to reach out. I love hearing from you and guiding you! 

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If you would like to build your communication confidence in English then check out my free guide to build your confidence today. 

Have any additional questions? Send me a message.

Pete Pozner MSc

English for PR & Journalism to Unlock Global Career Opportunities | DELTA-Certified ESL Teacher | Check Out My Testimonials👇 | Get Free Guide to Boost Job Prospects in "Featured"🎁

2y

Great article! Understanding the difference between errors and slips (or mistakes) is important because they are dealt with in different ways. For example, in writing, slips can often be self-corrected by carefully re-reading before submitting a text. But errors often require more help from an expert because they are caused by gaps in a learner's knowledge. A good diagnosis is to find out if a learner has more slips or more errors. On the one hand, if a learner has a lot more slips than errors, they can take confidence from knowing that the former are easier to reduce. On the other hand, if they have more errors, they should know they need to invest more in developing their language.

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