Don't keep apologizing for your poor L2
Ying Reinhardt wisely advises us in this delightful article:
"I stopped apologising for my poor German, and something wonderful happened:
After a decade in Germany, I was still anxious talking to native speakers – then I realised my language skills weren’t the problem"
The Guardian (4/1/24
What Ying Reinhardt says about German as a second language is true, ceteris paribus, of other foreign languages that one may be learning. Just plunge ahead. Of course, one doesn't want to speak utter gibberish, but don't be afraid of making minor mistakes in grammar, vocabulary, and, yes, even tone or accent. Just get your ideas across in the most efficient way possible within your capability. It's all about communicative competence.
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