I felt compelled to write about this topic after reading about a radio DJ who mocked a teacher for teaching in English on an educational television program. As I was reading the comments and reactions, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Not because it was surprising.
But because it happens far too often.
The truth is, many people have experienced being laughed at, judged, or looked down upon simply because they weren’t fluent in English.
And from my own experience, one thing I’ve noticed is that the harshest criticism often comes from our own people, Malays.
Of course, not everyone behaves this way. I’ve met many Malaysians who are supportive and encouraging. However, there is still a culture of mocking people who speak “broken English,” and unfortunately, this attitude discourages many people from even trying.
As a result, countless Malaysians remain afraid to speak English despite understanding it reasonably well.
They worry about making mistakes, about their pronunciation, about being judged, about sounding stupid, and because of that fear, they stay silent, holding themselves back from learning, improving, and reaching their full potential.
What makes this even more unfortunate is that many Malaysians actually understand English better than they think they do. They can read articles, watch movies, understand social media content, and follow conversations. However, the moment they have to speak, fear takes over. Not because they don’t know English, but because they’re afraid of being judged for getting it wrong.
✅ The Real Problem Isn’t Broken English
The real problem is making people feel ashamed for trying. Think about it. How is anyone supposed to become fluent if they’re too afraid to speak? Every language learner in the world starts exactly the same way.
They make mistakes. They use the wrong grammar. They mispronounce words. They forget vocabulary. They mix languages.
That’s not failure. That’s learning.
Nobody wakes up one day speaking flawless English. Language is a skill, and every skill requires practice. When a child learns to walk, we don’t laugh at them when they fall. When someone learns to drive, we don’t expect them to be an expert on the first day. When someone starts going to the gym, we don’t expect them to lift the heaviest weights immediately.
So why do some people expect perfection from someone learning a language? It simply doesn’t make sense.
✅ A Comment I’ll Never Forget
Many years ago, one of my former housemates was preparing for MUET. One day, she sarcastically said:
“You can’t even speak good English, yet still have the confidence to speak it.”
At the time, those words hurt. Not because they were true but because they reflected a mindset that many people share. The belief that you must already be good at something before you’re allowed to do it. Imagine applying that logic to everything in life.
You can’t start exercising until you’re fit.
You can’t start writing until you’re a great writer.
You can’t start a business until you’re successful.
You can’t learn English until you’re already fluent.
It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Yet many people treat language learning exactly this way. The reality is that confidence doesn’t come before practice. Confidence comes from practice. You become confident because you keep showing up, making mistakes, learning, and improving.
✅ Being Better Doesn’t Give You the Right to Look Down on Others
One thing I’ve learned throughout my life is this: Being good at something is not an achievement if it makes you arrogant. If you’re fluent in English, that’s wonderful… But fluency should make you more understanding, not more judgmental.
Not everyone grew up in an English-speaking environment. Not everyone attended schools with strong English programs. Not everyone had access to books, movies, international friends, tutors, or opportunities to practise.
We all start from different places.
Some people learn English through school. Some learn through movies. Some learn through video games. Some learn through social media. Some learn because their jobs require it, and some people are still figuring it out.
A little kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s learning journey. Instead of saying:
“Your English is terrible.”
Why not say:
“Good job for trying. Keep going.”
One destroys confidence. The other builds it.
✅ My Journey with English
I wasn’t born into a family that spoke English at home. In fact, I’m the only person in my family who became fluent in English. And trust me, it didn’t happen overnight. It took years.
Years of making mistakes. Years of feeling embarrassed. Years of mispronouncing words. Years of using the wrong grammar. Years of learning, correcting myself, and improving little by little.
If we’re talking about being laughed at because of my pronunciation, grammar, or sentence structure, I’ve experienced plenty of that.
There were times when people focused more on my mistakes than on what I was actually trying to communicate. That’s unfortunate because communication should always matter more than perfection. Language exists to help us connect with one another.
Not to compete.
Not to show off.
Not to make others feel inferior.
I remember being part of a travel group consisting of people from different countries. At one point, they asked whether many Malaysians could speak fluent English. I laughed because I’ve never considered my English particularly impressive. To me, it felt average. But to them, it was impressive because I wasn’t a native speaker.
That conversation taught me something valuable. We are often our own worst critics.
Many people are far more capable than they realize.
The problem is that they spend so much time worrying about mistakes that they never recognize how much progress they’ve already made.
✅ What Foreigners Taught Me About English
The majority of my friends today are foreigners from different parts of the world.
I’ve had friends from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and many other countries. Through those friendships, I’ve learned something important. Most people don’t care if your English is perfect. They care whether they can understand you.
That’s it.
Many Malaysians assume that native English speakers are constantly judging grammar mistakes. In reality, most native speakers make mistakes too.
They use slang.
They shorten sentences.
They break grammar rules.
They mispronounce words.
They forget vocabulary.
They’re human.
What’s even more interesting is that many Europeans also speak English as a second language. Some of my friends from France and Italy speak what many people would call “broken English,” but they don’t let that stop them from communicating.
They speak anyway.
And because they speak anyway, they improve.
That’s how language learning works.
✅ Why Making Mistakes Is Actually Good
Many people think making mistakes means they’re bad at English. I disagree. To me, mistakes are proof that you’re trying. And if you’re trying, you’re learning. If you’re learning, it means you’re improving.
The people who improve the fastest are not the people who never make mistakes. They’re the people who aren’t afraid to make them. Every incorrect sentence teaches you something. Every awkward conversation teaches you something. Every misunderstanding teaches you something.
Mistakes are not roadblocks.
They’re stepping stones.
✅ How I Improved My English
One thing people often ask me is, “How did you become fluent?” The answer is surprisingly simple.
I spoke. A lot.
I listened carefully to how other people spoke. I paid attention to sentence structure. I observed pronunciation. I noticed commonly used phrases. When I came across words I didn’t know, I looked them up. Sometimes I wrote them down in a notebook. Sometimes I saved them on my phone. Most importantly, I used them because vocabulary that isn’t used is quickly forgotten.
I also consumed a lot of English content. Books. Movies. TV shows. Podcasts. Articles. YouTube videos. Every piece of content became a learning opportunity. Not because I was studying but because I was exposing myself to the language every day.
✅ My Advice for Anyone Learning English
If you’re trying to improve your English, here’s my advice:
- Stop Waiting Until You’re “Ready”
You will never feel completely ready. Start speaking now. The sooner you begin, the faster you’ll improve. - Focus on Communication, Not Perfection
Your goal is to communicate. Not to impress people. If someone understands your message, you’ve succeeded. - Learn from Mistakes Instead of Fearing Them
Every mistake contains a lesson. Don’t be embarrassed by them. Use them. - Surround Yourself with English
Read English. Listen to English. Watch English. Speak English. The more exposure you get, the faster your brain adapts. - Be Patient with Yourself
Language learning is a marathon, not a sprint. Progress happens gradually. Small improvements every day eventually become fluency.
✅ Conclusion: Speak Anyway
If you’re reading this and you’re afraid of speaking English because you’re worried about making mistakes, let me tell you something.
The people who mock you won’t improve your life. The people who judge you won’t help you grow. The people who laugh at your broken English won’t be the ones benefiting from your future opportunities.
You will.
Every conversation you have. Every mistake you make. Every new word you learn. Every moment you choose courage over embarrassment. All of it adds up. So speak anyway.
Speak even when your grammar isn’t perfect.
Speak even when your pronunciation isn’t perfect.
Speak even when you’re nervous.
Speak even when people judge you.
One day, the English you’re embarrassed to speak today will become the English you’re proud of tomorrow.
And remember:
No matter where you are in life, inspire and empower the people around you.
Success is sweeter when shared.
X, Hani 🌻
