People Online Share Insecurities Of Not Speaking English & How It Didn’t Stop Them In Life

Have you ever been made fun of because you don’t speak the English language well? Or have you been one of those who has made fun of people who can’t speak in English?

You see, sadly, knowing the English language has become synonymous to being intelligent and smart. As a result, thousands of people in the country who have attended a Hindi-medium school or a Marathi-medium school suffer from insecurities of not being good enough.

However, people on Twitter have been discussing this problem recently and as it turns out, not knowing how to speak English well hasn’t really stopped anybody from achieving what they have in life!

It started when Indian Forest Service Officer Parveen Kaswan tweeted about his own journey. Have a look:

English was the tough nut to crack in my boards. Given rural background. When joined college I was surprised to notice that people were not only talking in English but even listening songs in English. Down the line I found funny that those things once made me worried. Life.

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) July 14, 2020

Soon, people took to the comment section to share their own stories of insecurities. They ended up realising how pointless it is to equate ‘English’ with intelligence and opportunities!

Coming from 'हिंदी' medium school background, experienced the same.. Down the years funnily enough ended up working for a number of English newspapers, including TOI…

— Arjun Singh Chouhan (@AscBpl) July 14, 2020

Same here sir! I still remember my early days in college. I was from marathi medium and how nervous that made me feel. Pressure was real, sometimes I used fumble even while speaking hindi. I remember asking one girl what does bunk mean 😁 now I am professor of English literature

— Apurva Khadye (@khadyeapurva) July 14, 2020

Same here Sir😅.. Schooling Gujarati medium se huyi aur college mei English medium mei shift kar complete kiya..!! Nd most of my classmates were frm English medium..Woh to hanste bhi english mei the😑.. Nd I was like..😳 मैं हूँ ही नहीं इस दुनिया की🎶.. 😭!!

— ✨Payal✨ (@payal_choksi) July 14, 2020

I studied in a Convent but at home we spoke only Hindi. So it was tough in the beginning to become fluent in English. Still remember some hilarious moments from my college days. But now I can taak English and waak English.😎

— Vandana 🌈💫✍️📖🎶 (@VandanaJayrajan) July 14, 2020

Honestly in last 15 years fallen in love with Hindi language Thanks to friend Nibha and many inspiring women around .. moreover when I started with Govt official visit for some work it was challenge to read the designation of officers. they all said madam Hindi mien application

— Nisha rai (@nisharai_ggc) July 14, 2020

Somehow a mixture of English medium early on and then Bengali med and again English had made me proficient in both the languages. I use to help my class mates, removing their English phobia. A consultive reading of news paper actually did the trick. Some scored better than me

— Somendra Patranabis (@patranabis) July 14, 2020

The Hauaa of English gets broken when you visit an English speaking country and see road cleaners, hotel cleaners, beggers speak fluent English.
Its just a language guys. Be proud of Hindi or your state language you grew up speaking.
Focus on skills. Eng is just one of them.

— ChineseCovidWarrior (@VBUPIND) July 14, 2020

I have studied in hindi medium tl12th frm up board. Aftr12th I went to pursue my pharmacy from bangloreI saw the same.I was like where have I come.. few students form HP used to speak English so well. Most of them got back. https://t.co/mamCAu4ODB just a language not a certificat

— Gajendra Yadav (@gsy0085) July 14, 2020

Been there 🙂 although my mom had very good command on English grammar,she left no stone unturned to make sure that we score highest in English.But overall it used to be the cause of inferiority complex among the cousins.#EnglishWinglish

— Shalini Singh (@ShaliniTweets09) July 14, 2020

It’s really sad. In France, Spain, Germany people take immense pride in their national language. I tried English in Paris, Barcelona ( can’t speak the local language) and it seemed people were frowning upon me. Speak Hindi in India, same reaction. Really really sad!

— Pavan Periwal (@PavanPeriwal) July 14, 2020

Sir I m also worried about this language when I speak hind than some recognised me underlined and don't respect my knowledge and me that's way I m trying to resolve this problems but it is not possible for me and I can't replace Hindi from English because Hindi is my pride 🙏

— Rajkamal Choudhary (@Rajkamal3031) July 14, 2020

Rather unfortunate that speaking #English is considered "status" instead of "language".. Most look upto others speak in mother tongue, but look down upon own do the same.. You have come a long way, friend.. Kudos to your resolve..

— Vee Dee (@vd22801) July 14, 2020

Till date my daughter correct my english but she never embarrassed in front of other English speaking people and comfortably translate for me if something is difficult for me to understand . Apna toh desi bhasha se kaam chal raha hai 😝😆

— Madhu Chanda (@avc_201) July 14, 2020

English today has become sign of modernity, class, intelligence. We should atleast now acknowledge that its just a foreign language not a parameter to judge someone's intelligence.
We should avoid thinking that personality development is all about speaking english fluently.

— satendra srivastava (@satty285) July 14, 2020

Exactly..
This fear of English should be removed from the minds of students from small towns n villages. They should be told you are as good as any. Nobody should feel intimidated by the lack of English skills. Knowledge and skills matter.
You and all should spread this word.

— Alok J B (@aloka8585) July 14, 2020

The sense of meaningless Inferiority Complex we all have went through…. Because of "English"

Sometimes I feel that time/energy could have been better spent.

— Abhishek Agrawal (@Abhishe39317699) July 14, 2020

Colonial hang up! can understand it very well. Studied in convents. We were on d other side of d fence in college, thought it beneath our dignity to talk to HMTs. Got a jolt in JNU when I found that HMT Bihari boys fared better than us in studies. Came down. Life's a leveller!

— Nidhi Singh (@NidhiSi26533467) July 14, 2020

Same pinch, it’s a must to pass through such phase being from rural background. However later I see most of such people succeed really high in life, so there is light in the end of tunnel. Keep believing in yourself and confidence is the key to come out of it.

— Santosh Deshpande (@srsantosh85) July 14, 2020

Most people with rural background or coming from hindi medium schools find themselves struggling for an year or 2 when begining for higher education. In hidsight the worry seems not worth. but it kills the confidence then and that takes time to be built again.

— umesh (@umesh_twari) July 14, 2020

So true- my experience too is similar but slightly different- first day of my graduation course in a city where every one was speaking a tough conversation( English) and first lecture from English teacher was so so different I felt in an alien land and sweated to even open mouth

— prabhakar C J (@goldensilk) July 14, 2020

This fear/love for English ruining many talents.
People feel inferior to someone speaking English.
We made english not a language but a symbol of intelligence. That's highly ridiculous.

— Constant Nomad (@khurafatijaat) July 14, 2020

So if you are someone who doesn’t speak English well, it is time to discard your insecurities because it doesn’t shape your personality. And as for those who are prejudiced against non-English speaking people, you have some introspection to do!