Are we Danes good at English?

"But everyone in Denmark speaks such good English, so who do you teach?" I was once asked this question by Matteo, an Italian living and working in Denmark. He communicates with his fellow citizens in Denmark in English, and it's actually going very well, because we are so good at speaking English in Denmark. He called his English "shit English", but I understood him quite well - and you probably would too.

Although Matteo thinks we in Denmark are so good at English, there are actually a lot of Danes who get a stomach ache when they have to speak English on the phone, greet an English-speaking guest at the office, or give a short presentation in English at a meeting. And the worst thing is if there are other Danes present, because everyone else is always better at English than you are, and it's just so embarrassing when your colleagues are listening in - or so you think. But funny enough, the others typically feel the same way.

You are not alone

When I teach courses that focus on communicating professionally in English, I always ask participants what their biggest challenge is when speaking English. And they almost always answer the same thing:

"The flap just goes down."

"I'm going blank."

"The words kind of get stuck in my throat and won't come out."

"I feel like everyone is looking at me and listening - thinking, 'Come on, she's so bad at that!'"

And then the participants look around at each other, slightly puzzled. They thought they were the only one who felt that way.

Why try to sound like an Englishman - you're (probably) not

In Denmark, we are quick to judge others when it comes to language and pronunciation. Not only in English, but also in Danish. We have what I call 'lazy ears'. When we hear others speaking Danish with an accent, we are quick to fail to understand what they are saying - even though we can actually figure it out if we just listen for the context.

We simply expect perfect pronunciation, but what is it really? And the same is true when we speak English. We so want to sound like a native Englishman or American. The problem is that the majority of Danes are not.

"Remember, you are not entering a linguistic beauty contest"

Remember this when speaking English

So my message is that you should not strive for something that can never be done. You need to learn to accept that it's okay to sound Danish when you speak English, and that it's okay not to know every word in English. Neither do I, by the way, even though I'm actually British!

When you communicate with someone - whether in English or in Danish - your task is simple: to help your counterpart understand your message.

You can get better at communicating in English by following these five simple strategies. And as a bonus, you'll have less stomachache.

My 5 tips for you - Improve your English

1. Speak clearly

It's no use mumbling when you have to say a word you can't pronounce. Rather, be open about it and tell your counterpart that you have difficulty pronouncing the word. Say: "This word is difficult for me to say ..." and your counterpart will know that there might be an alternative pronunciation of a word. And they might even be able to help you with the correct pronunciation. And you can have a laugh together. And suddenly your stomach doesn't hurt so much.

2. Feel free to use English words when you come up with a map

It's okay to use the English word when you don't know what the English word is. Just remember to make it clear that you are actually using an English word.

AN EXAMPLE

For example, if you work in a service function in an unemployment insurance fund or in a municipality and have to serve foreign citizens in Denmark, you will often have to use words that describe the Danish system. In such situations, sticking to the Danish word can be quite a good communication strategy. After all, these are the words the foreign citizen encounters when moving around in Denmark.

So the next time you have to explain to a Polish craftsman that if he becomes unemployed he can only get unemployment benefit if he is a member of an unemployment insurance fund, it's okay to say:

"If you lose your job, you can only get, hmm, I don't know this word in English, but in Danish it's called 'dagpenge', if you are a member of a Danish 'a kasse'. Do you know what I mean?"

He may recognise the words daily allowance and unemployment benefit from conversations with other tradesmen on the site. And if he doesn't, the idea is that he can ask questions and that together you can come up with an explanation that he understands. So you don't need to know all the right terms - in this case unemployment benefits and unemployment insurance fund - because it's not at all likely that the Polish craftsman knows those words anyway. And then you're even.

3. Use more words in English - explain and use examples

It may sound contradictory to say that you need to use more words in English than you do in English, when it is the English words you are looking for, but there is a good reason why I suggest this. Danish is full of compound words, and they don't always have an exact match in English.

So, when you search in vain for a single word that accurately represents the English word you're thinking of, you may not be able to find it because it doesn't exist.

Instead of locking yourself into finding 'that exact word', say, "Hmm, I'm not sure what the English word for this is, but it's when ....". So explain what the word means, and you can support it with an example.

AN EXAMPLE

I myself find that it can be difficult to find an exact match in English for Danish words that have to do with cultural institutions and the education system. In Danish, for example, we use the word 'reception class' to describe a class for children who have just arrived in Denmark or who do not speak Danish. If you translate it directly into reception class, someone who is not familiar with the Danish system will think of something completely different. In English, reception class refers to the first year in the school system, when the child is typically 4-5 years old. And Danish children are still in kindergarten. So it's a better strategy to explain what it is.

4. Be honest when you don't know how to say what you need to say

This tip is actually a cheat, because it's kind of the same as the first three tips. But all too often we keep our insecurities to ourselves. And that's when the clap goes down. So say it openly and honestly: "I don't know how to say this in English." Just saying these words will often make you relax so much that the words actually come to you. And if they continue to elude you, you've set the stage for needing a little help. And that's when you need tips 1, 2 and 3.

5. Be curious about the language and take active responsibility for your learning

And here comes the boring part - which doesn't have to be boring. You also have to realise that you won't learn new English words and phrases without some effort. As a consolation, the more you learn, the more fun it becomes.

Start small. When watching English-language programmes, start linking the English subtitles with the English speak. Notice new and funny words. Say them out loud if you like. And make a habit of keeping a notebook to write them down in.

If you use English at work, make a list of words you use often but can never remember in English. And find out if your organisation already has any materials in English that contain useful technical terms you can never remember.

All too often, I find that people forget to check their own organisation's English-language website, which contains a wealth of terminology.