It’s very common for many language students to feel unjustified panic when speaking, and often this fear arises because of their native accent. „I’m afraid to speak and let go because of my native accent,“ one of my A2-level English students told me about three years ago, with a vulnerability that deeply impacted me. That phrase reminded me of one of my first classes in the Translation and Interpreting degree, when the professor explained to us that having the accent of our mother tongue when speaking another language is, in reality, a powerful sign of our cultural identity. An accent is not a defect or a reason for shame, but a mark that reminds us where we come from, a part of our personal and collective history that we should never try to erase.
When I asked him what he was so afraid of about his accent, he replied that he feared not sounding like a native. But therein lies the paradox: nobody expects a non-native speaker to be exactly like a native speaker. When you speak a foreign language, it’s natural for your voice to carry the echo of your origin, and that is something admirable. You are making an enormous effort to communicate in a language that is not your own, and that deserves respect, not shame. Having an accent, no matter how strong (whether it’s a „Spanish“ accent in English or any other), does not mean you don’t know the language. The only real obstacle arises when the pronunciation is so different that it hinders comprehension, like when someone says „sheet“ instead of „seat“ and that causes confusion. But that is a specific problem, not a reason to stop speaking.
Beyond technical correctness, the biggest problem is self-censorship, that irrational fear that prevents us from expressing ourselves freely for fear of being judged by our accent. I myself have experienced this feeling, and I know it’s not easy to overcome. But the truth is that our accent is an inalienable part of us, and embracing it is embracing our own uniqueness. When we stop being afraid of our accent, our voice becomes more confident, more authentic, and that is what truly connects with others.
Therefore, I want to encourage all those who feel this fear of speaking to take the plunge. Speaking with an accent is not only normal, but it is beautiful. It is proof that we are learning, growing, and carrying with us the richness of our culture. Let’s not let fear paralyze us, because communication is not just precision, but also courage and human connection.
