The Machine Gun Mouth
Some students have a strange idea. They think: "Native speakers talk fast. So, if I talk fast, I am a native speaker."
This logic is terrible. It is like saying, "Birds fly. If I jump off a building, I am a bird."
When you try to speak English at maximum speed, you do not sound fluent. You sound like a machine gun. You shoot words at the listener: "HelloIamJohnIlikecatsgoodbye." The listener feels attacked. They do not understand you. They just want to find a shield to protect themselves from your words.
The Mumble Trap
Speed is the enemy of clarity. When you drive a car too fast, you cannot turn safely. You crash. When you speak too fast, your tongue crashes.
- You eat the ends of words.
- "Internet" becomes "In-net."
- "Comfortable" becomes "Comf-ble."
You think you are saving time. But actually, you are wasting time. Why? Because you have to repeat everything three times.
You: "Igottaworktomorrow."
Friend: "What?"
You: "I... have... to... work... tomorrow."
Just speak slowly the first time. It is faster.
The Power of the Pause
Look at important people. Look at presidents or famous actors. Do they speak fast? No. They speak slowly. They pause.
When you pause, you look confident. You look like you are thinking about big ideas. When you rush, you look nervous. You look like you need to go to the toilet.
Slow down. Breathe. Give your words space to live. Speaking English is not a race. There is no prize for finishing the sentence first. The only prize is being understood.
