Don't say this in English, say this
If you have ever been on social media you have probably seen posts about 'don't say this in English, say this' You know the ones... don't say small, say tiny. Don't say hello, say greetings! Don't say yes, say yeah.
But here's the thing: they're nonsense.
In English all words are valid, and it depends on the context why and when you should use or not use them.
Let's look at some examples:
Don't say very. Very is an over-used word. Sometimes it is good to replace it with another word - very small could be tiny or minuscule, or minute /maɪˈnjuːt/ or, weeny, teeny, wee, or smol. But sometimes it's completely the right word to emphasize just how big, small, hungry or tired you are. So feel free to use very.
Don't say 'I don't know'. Oh this one really annoys me. It is very annoying to find out that a phrase you've probably said a hundred time is unacceptable. But it's not. It's completely fine to say I don't know. When alternatives are given: 'Search me,' 'beats me,' 'I have no idea' for example they could be too informal. If your teacher or a customer in your shop asks you a question and you reply: 'who knows?' that's not going to end well. 'I don't know' and if needed, adding a phrase like, 'I'll check' is wonderful English.
Don't say handicapped. Actually this is true. Don't say handicapped. It's old-fashioned and now considered offensive. But the alternative that I've seen given: 'specially abled' is not correct, at all, ever. Say disabled or talk about the actual disability - for example an autistic person, a deaf person, or a person who uses a wheelchair.
Here are 4 more reasons to ignore these 'don't say this in English' posts on social media...
1. You should be clear. Who are you speaking to? Will they understand that petrified is the same as very scared? If not, just use the simpler word.
"Don't use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do." Mark Twain
Mark Twain, one of the most famous writers from the USA, tells us the shorter, simpler words are often better.
2. Communicate! The point of speaking English is to communicate how you feel, how you see the world, and what you need. If you're not sure what to say because you're trying to level up your English words all the time then you're not communicating.
3. It's the right word. The words you know are right, so use them. These posts are not always correct, and as we saw with 'handicapped' are mixing correct and incorrect information in the same post.
4. They knock your confidence. If someone is constantly telling you to stop doing something - how do you feel? Maybe annoyed, angry, rebellious? It can certainly make you feel less confident that your English skills are not good.
Finally, I can think of one benefit of these 'don't say this in English' type of posts - they make great materials to discuss with your teacher in your English lessons!
If you want to find an English teacher who can help you tell the good English from the bad, and feel confident in your English ability check out the Elevate Directory of English language teachers.
