2 Billion Voices: How to speak bad English perfectly | Heather Hansen | TEDxOdense

Heather Hansen explores how embracing 'bad English' empowers 2 billion non-native speakers to communicate globally without fear of perfection.

Key Takeaways

Bad English is a valuable tool for global communication, not a deficiency.
Language rules should not hinder participation or expression in English.
Native English speakers have an advantage but can unintentionally increase misunderstandings.
Global English is diverse and context-dependent, lacking a single standard.
Successful communication depends on mutual understanding and flexibility, not perfection.

What the video covers

A global automotive CEO humorously calls their corporate language 'bad English' to encourage inclusivity and participation.
Embracing imperfect English allows non-native speakers to share ideas without fear of mistakes.
English language rules exist, but rigid enforcement can alienate the majority of global English users.
Heather Hansen shares personal experiences of feeling like an outsider due to accent and language barriers.
Only 400 million people are native English speakers, while 2 billion use English as a learned language.
Global communication misunderstandings often increase when native speakers dominate conversations.
English language teaching often pressures learners to conform to native norms, which can be limiting.
There is no single global English; it varies widely across cultures and contexts.
Effective communication requires adapting to listeners and accepting diverse English varieties.
The future of global English lies in valuing diverse voices rather than enforcing perfection.

Chapters

Why does Heather Hansen advocate for embracing 'bad English'?

She argues that embracing 'bad English' allows non-native speakers to communicate without fear of making mistakes, giving them a voice and encouraging participation in global conversations.

What challenges do non-native English speakers face according to the video?

Non-native speakers often face pressure to conform to native English norms, experience accent bias, and feel like outsiders, which can hinder their confidence and opportunities.

Is there a single global standard for English?

No, the video explains that there is no one global English; it varies widely across cultures and contexts, making it impossible to define or teach a single standard.

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

Speaker A

[Music] [Applause] The CEO of a global automotive group said they like to joke within the company that their official global corporate language is not English but bad English. This wasn't a negative thing; in fact, they were quite proud of it.

Speaker A

because by embracing bad english this funny mix of grammatical errors random pronunciations and made-up words they were giving everyone a voice even those who weren't so comfortable with their English could speak up and share their ideas because they weren't afraid of

Speaker A

Because by embracing bad English, this funny mix of grammatical errors, random pronunciations, and made-up words, they were giving everyone a voice. Even those who weren't so comfortable with their English could speak up and share their ideas because they weren't afraid of making mistakes.

Speaker A

English is a very bad idea we have language rules for a reason we enjoy fighting over them and this is true in any language not just English because the way we speak is a part of who we are

Speaker A

They knew that their bad English was good enough. Now, I know that not everybody agrees with this perspective. Ask anyone in the multi-billion dollar English as a foreign language industry, and they will likely tell you that accepting bad English is a very bad idea.

Speaker A

parties and something really funny would happen and everybody was laughing and then the whole room went silent well someone translated the last five minutes of the party to me and then all these eyeballs right in my direction awaiting my reaction

Speaker A

We have language rules for a reason. We enjoy fighting over them, and this is true in any language, not just English, because the way we speak is a part of who we are.

Speaker A

right moments but every time I open my mouth to speak my accent sabotages me it gives away my secret that I don't really belong but I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because as our world gets smaller

Speaker A

We can hear through language who belongs and who's an outsider, who fits in and who almost fits in but not quite. This was one of the main reasons why I wanted to learn Danish. I'd be sitting at dinner parties, and something really funny would happen, and everybody was laughing, and then the whole room went silent.

Speaker A

born into English a clear advantage in global business automatic ownership of worldwide communication or at least that's what a lot of English speakers would like to believe take a peek into English language classrooms around the world and the teaching supports this

Speaker A

Well, someone translated the last five minutes of the party to me, and then all these eyeballs were right in my direction, awaiting my reaction.

Speaker A

people who speak really decent bad English who are stuck in these classrooms and we're forcing perfection on them and we're fixing their grammar and we're fixing their pronunciation and we're fixing the people to make sure that they can speak some kind of generic

Speaker A

[Laughter] You know, I thought that by learning Danish I would finally fit in, but even now when I speak Danish fluently, okay sure, I can follow along with the jokes at the dinner party. I can laugh in the right moments.

Speaker A

billion voices who have had to learn this language in a classroom right now in our world today we have five times more voices that stand out then fit in and suddenly on a global stage such as this one I'm an outsider again but this

Speaker A

But every time I open my mouth to speak, my accent sabotages me. It gives away my secret that I don't really belong. But I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because as our world gets smaller and more connected, it's impossible to find work where you don't have to cross languages and borders and cultures.

Speaker A

know I've always thought it was kind of funny that we try to fit these two billion people into this little box with four hundred million I mean wouldn't it be a lot easier and a lot more fun to

Speaker A

We were forced to adopt a global language, and in the lottery of languages, English won. That gives someone like me, who was born into English, a clear advantage in global business: automatic ownership of worldwide communication. Or at least that's what a lot of English speakers would like to believe.

Speaker A

might be surprised to hear that the exact opposite is actually true numerous studies on global communication have shown that misunderstandings increase when one of the 400 million good English speakers enter the conversation it's the truth how can this be

Speaker A

Take a peek into English language classrooms around the world, and the teaching supports this idea. Now, I'm not saying that we should get rid of language teaching. Of course, we have to have a basic solid foundation of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation. People need to be able to be understood in the world.

Speaker A

communication specialist helping to fix these two billion voices they come to me because people have told them that they have a heavy accent that they're embarrassed about the way that they speak where they come because they know that opportunities are passing them by

Speaker A

But we have plenty of people who speak really decent bad English who are stuck in these classrooms, and we're forcing perfection on them, and we're fixing their grammar, and we're fixing their pronunciation, and we're fixing the people to make sure that they can speak some kind of generic American or British proper English so that they can better fit in with the English-speaking world.

Speaker A

coming out of their mouths so they come to me and they ask me to fix them but there's just one problem these two billion voices aren't broken the most important skill to master as a global leader moving forward in our world today

Speaker A

But here's what's really interesting about the English-speaking world: only 400 million of us were born into the English language. Compare this to the two billion voices who have had to learn this language in a classroom.

Speaker A

hearing all different kinds of English and really making an effort to understand the problem and the biggest challenge we're facing with international English is that there is no one global English we can't define it we can't put rules on it we can't teach

Speaker A

Right now, in our world today, we have five times more voices that stand out than fit in, and suddenly on a global stage such as this one, I'm an outsider again, but this time in my own language. Can't win.

Speaker A

completely acceptable in one context could be completely unacceptable in another with different speakers from different backgrounds and cultures this is why when I'm working with a speaker for the first time and they come to me because they're getting ready for a big

Speaker A

So let's take a closer look at this other side of language. Let's see how we can become better speakers and better listeners so that we can increase the understanding in our world today.

Speaker A

they hear the language these aren't always easy questions and it's very possible you've never thought about them before but if all of us both the good English speakers and the much more common bad English speakers if we all

Speaker A

You know, I've always thought it was kind of funny that we try to fit these two billion people into this little box with 400 million. I mean, wouldn't it be a lot easier and a lot more fun to make the 400 million fit into the two billion?

Speaker A

that there are certain sounds that when articulated just right make it easier for your listener to understand and there are other English sounds that make absolutely no difference whatsoever so for example if you take the letter T and

Speaker A

We're quick to assume that all of our miscommunication, all of our global communication problems, they must be the fault of the two billion bad English voices because, well, of course, they speak bad English.

Speaker A

pronunciation of the R sound something that we commonly think is really unique although it isn't to the American dialects of English on the other hand how about that terrible th you know that or the sound that every single one of the two billion voices

Speaker A

But you might be surprised to hear that the exact opposite is actually true. Numerous studies on global communication have shown that misunderstandings increase when one of the 400 million good English speakers enters the conversation.

Speaker A

teachers but we know that you can change that sound you can switch it out for something else and as long as you are consistently pronouncing the th with that sound everyone will tune their ears and understand so what we're seeing when we

Speaker A

It's the truth. How can this be? The other side of English is very interesting. We like to believe that we have this ownership over the language, but no one owns the English language anymore.

Speaker A

of speech the physicality of pronunciation and articulation this is just one a very small part of our speech to have good communication we need a lot more so as speakers we need to remember when we go into global settings we are

Speaker A

The last ten years, I've been traveling the world as a speech and communication specialist helping to fix these two billion voices. They come to me because people have told them that they have a heavy accent, that they're embarrassed about the way that they speak, where they come from because they know that opportunities are passing them by.

Speaker A

common phrases to touch base out in left-field in the end zone many Americans will struggle because these phrases are such completely common everyday parts of our American vocabulary we don't even start to realize that they come directly from

Speaker A

These talented, well-educated global leaders who are perfectly confident and eloquent in their own languages want to erase their accents, their identities, so that they will be respected for the ideas coming out of their minds instead of judged for how the words are coming out of their mouths.

Speaker A

sports analogies even the good English speakers can't understand each other when they forget that they come from different cultures but this is still all just focusing on the speaker what about our listener what I said earlier is even

Speaker A

So they come to me, and they ask me to fix them. But there's just one problem: these two billion voices aren't broken.

Speaker A

frustrated hearing different accents always so hard to understand and they don't want to talk to that person anymore but when you understand how accents work they actually are like this fun little puzzle that you can figure out we have accents because every single

Speaker A

The most important skill to master as a global leader moving forward in our world today is not the perfect accent. What is crucial in global communication is adaptability as a speaker, being able to change the way that you speak so that it's easier for your listener to understand, and even more importantly, as a listener, being open and flexible to hearing all different kinds of English and really making an effort to understand.

Speaker A

don't know exactly one but somewhere in the early teens we lose this ability to perfectly mimic sounds so what happens when we meet a new language is we have to go back to our old sound systems and we try to approximate the correct sound

Speaker A

The problem and the biggest challenge we're facing with international English is that there is no one global English. We can't define it. We can't put rules on it. We can't teach it. It has to be experienced.

Speaker A

this can be taught but these are just sounds tone and emphasis a little more tricky we get so much information from tone you can hear when someone is when they're happy when they're sad when they're angry when they're stressed you

Speaker A

So the way that a Chinese businesswoman speaks English with a Frenchman in Germany will be completely different than the way a Dane speaks English with a New Zealander and Korean in Indonesia.

Speaker A

right yeah right yeah right and this is just in our own language when we're in global settings we cannot make any assumptions if somebody says something you think is totally outrageous chances are you misunderstood we need to enter every single interaction as if

Speaker A

What could be completely acceptable in one context could be completely unacceptable in another with different speakers from different backgrounds and cultures.

Speaker A

varieties of accented English from all over the world because the more we hear these languages and accents the easier they are for us to understand we have so many courses out there I run some of them that are stripping the accents and

Speaker A

This is why when I'm working with a speaker for the first time and they come to me because they're getting ready for a big presentation or they just want to survive the next international conference call, the first thing I ask them is: Who are your listeners? Where are they from? What's their language level? What kind of cultural differences do we need to take into consideration? How do they hear the language?

Speaker A

accents that they are going to come into contact with in their work where they begin to value and accept and see the beauty in our differences instead of trying to judge and mask them we're always so focused on learning how to speak so that

Speaker A

These aren't always easy questions, and it's very possible you've never thought about them before, but if all of us, both the good English speakers and the much more common bad English speakers, if we all went into our conversations with our listener in mind, our communication would work a lot better.

Speaker A

they're afraid of their bad English they're afraid of being judged maybe it's time for us to stop fixing all the bad and start redefining what is good so please I'm begging you keep speaking up keep sharing your ideas with the world

Speaker A

We need a lot more research on English as a lingua franca, a common language, but studies suggest, and I've seen this to be true in my work, that there are certain sounds that, when articulated just right, make it easier for your listener to understand, and there are other English sounds that make absolutely no difference whatsoever.

Topics:bad Englishglobal communicationEnglish as a second languagelanguage diversityaccent biasinternational Englishlanguage learningHeather HansenTEDxinclusive language

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