amw (amw) wrote,
amw
amw
  • Mood: hungry

blocking

I had another weird pang of self-awareness today after one of my regular in-person meetings with my boss. We were talking about students who speak English as a second language and how it can be tough to grade papers that aren't always written with the best use of grammar. I mentioned my mom's experience (she is a full-time academic) and talked about my own experience reviewing resumes and cover letters. It was only after we'd finished chatting and i left to head home that i realized i do the same thing - not in written language, but with my speech. There are times i pause and completely blank out on what i'm supposed to be saying because i just can't find the words. I usually make a save by hastily pulling together some vaguely related words, but it ends up sounding like a complete hodge-podge of broken phrases. It's very frustrating for me because i feel like i'm coming across as stupid. I wonder if people sometimes think i'm not a native English speaker because i get the same blocks when i speak English as i do when i try to speak other languages? It happened a number of times just today. I like to think i'm verbally coherent, but perhaps that's not always the case. Then again, other people have never expressed their frustration with it, so maybe it's just something i notice, like my tendency to "um" all the time.
Subscribe

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
    Help
  • 2 comments