(3 min) The Chicken Story

Is there a word in your second language you still avoid saying, just in case it comes out wrong?

In this episode, I take you back to my early days in Spain and a trip to the butcher's, where one slightly mispronounced word for chicken turned an ordinary order into something very different, and very memorable. I talk about why the mix-ups that make us cringe at the time often teach us more than any textbook, how staying curious takes the sting out of social embarrassment, and why focusing on getting your message across does far more for your confidence than chasing perfect pronunciation.

This is Speak English with Confidence, previously 'From Lost to the River', a weekly show about language, identity, and what it really takes to speak with confidence.

More conversations, coaching options, and my new book More Than Words: Essays on Language, Identity, and the Courage to Speak at procoachenglish.com.

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