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Writer's pictureSapana Gupta

Does perfect English make you a perfect communicator?

Last week, during our road trip from Sicily to Rome, my partner and I had two encounters that made me reflect on this very question.

🍷🍽️ One evening, we spontaneously decided to treat ourselves to a fancy restaurant. The staff couldn’t have been more attentive—explaining each dish in detail and making sure we savored every sip of wine.


But when they switched to English, things became… complicated.


They spoke quickly, using lengthy explanations and complex vocabulary, as if eager to showcase their English skills. It seemed like nerves kicked in, causing them to speak faster and less clearly. Despite their best efforts, we struggled to follow along, and in the end, what arrived at our table wasn’t quite what we expected.


🥤🥪 A few days earlier, we had a completely different experience in a small, one-man-run sandwich shop. The owner used simple words, spoke very little, yet we understood him perfectly—and walked away with exactly what we wanted.


Many of us learned foreign languages in school, where mistakes were often met with judgment and correction. As adults, that pressure to be “perfect” tends to stick—we focus on flawless grammar or impressive vocabulary, but forget the real purpose of language: communication.


🔑 If there's one thing I try to make clear to my clients, it's this: Effective communication isn’t about speaking flawlessly or using big words, it’s about being understood. The man in the sandwich shop, with his simple, imperfect English, communicated far more effectively than the well-meaning, yet nervous waitstaff at the fancy restaurant.


❓ What about you—have you ever found that less-than-perfect language actually led to better communication?


📷 Waiting patiently for the best sandwiches we’ve (probably) ever had 🤤



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