The “Vergüenza Effect” and Speaking English
As someone who has quite literally never been shy (here's some proof), I’ve never been able to identify with what I call the “Vergüenza Effect.” It’s something I would consider quite rampant in my encounters with Spanish people when it comes to speaking English.
If I had a penny for every time someone said to me, “I don’t speak English” directly after speaking to me in English for ten minutes, I’d have a whole lot of pennies. (Side note: I’d much rather have said dimes, but unless you’re Canadian, you might not know a dime is ten cents, and then you’d never fully grasp just how rich I really could be!)
Humility or Fear?
It’s clear to me that many people speak more English than they realize. These conversations lead me to believe that Spanish people are humble, yes, but they also don’t seem to like giving themselves credit. They speak much more English than they realize. The problem is, there’s some unspoken law around here that perfection is king, and anything less is simply poppycock.
Interestingly enough, poppycock literally popped into my head right as I wrote that sentence. Then, I immediately looked it up to see if it fits, and would you believe it does!! Friggin’ awesome, because what a great word to express nonsense. (Still living it up four paragraphs into this blog—someone get me off the horse!)
Communication Over Perfection
Speaking English is NOT about perfection, at least from my humble view as a second-language speaker who doesn’t speak Spanish perfectly. After fourteen years in Spain, I still manage to mix up the Spanish word for “drawer” with the Spanish word for “testicles.” Sometimes, I wonder if I even want to say it properly, to be honest. I wouldn’t trade any of those laughs for all the pennies in the world (and that’s not even because pennies no longer exist—at least not in Canada, anyway).
Speaking English IS about communication. Being understood. Having a conversation. I’d choose a conversation with someone who is interesting and making a ton of mistakes a thousand times over before speaking to someone who can list the four conditionals and explain the relative clause. (I’m not even related to Santa, so…)
Practice Makes Progress
And here’s the thing—the more you speak, the better you will become naturally. That is science in its purest form. You can see it for yourself! Pay attention to a baby who says “goo goo ga ga,” and then watch them grow and say real words. That, my friends, is because they said “goo goo ga ga” a thousand times. Gotta exercise that tongue (and not just with testicles, my friends).
Laughter is the Key
So, how do we get around this sneaky “Vergüenza Effect?” Thank you for asking—well, with laughter, of course! Laughing breaks down walls and helps people relax. That’s why I use comedy as a tool to get people speaking. Forget the pennies—just try to imagine how many shy people have told me they couldn’t believe they felt comfortable speaking at an InterComedy, right before putting on their capes and flying home.
What is InterComedy?
InterComedy? That’s an even cooler word than poppycock. (No, it’s not, but for the sake of this blog just humor me.) InterComedy is where language and comedy get down and dirty. We laugh. We speak. Then we become legends, in precisely that order.
We use stand-up comedy and crowd work to get YOU speaking (and making friends and just friggin’ having a good time). That’s the power of laughter. So… let’s nunchuck that old vergüenza off the balcony and give ourselves a night out to get chatting, get laughing, and work toward calling the beach a beach instead of a bitch (or not, both sound fun to me).
Join Us at InterComedy in Tarragona
If you’re ready to improve your English speaking skills in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere, join us at the upcoming InterComedy session at La Casa del Jardí on Via Augusta 2, Tarragona. It’s the perfect opportunity to practice English, have fun, and gain confidence.
Click here to learn more about the InterComedy session in Tarragona.
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