“Your English is great.”
It’s one of the most common compliments bilingual and immigrant Americans hear — and one of the most misunderstood.
At first glance, “your English is great” sounds positive. But for many people, this compliment carries conditions. It reveals assumptions about intelligence, belonging, and who is expected to speak English well in the first place.
This is why “your English is great” isn’t always a compliment.
What Does “Your English Is Great” Really Mean?
When someone says “your English is great,” they’re often expressing surprise — not admiration.
Surprise that you’re fluent.
Surprise that you sound educated.
Surprise that you don’t match a stereotype.
The compliment exists because expectations were low. That’s what makes it a compliment with conditions.
In conversations about language discrimination, this moment matters. Language becomes a tool for judgment, not connection.
Why “Your English Is Great” Can Feel Offensive
Many people ask: Why is “your English is great” offensive?
Because the phrase separates people into two groups:
- Those whose English is assumed to be good
- And those who must prove it
Native speakers are never praised for their English. It’s expected. When bilingual speakers are complimented for the same thing, it signals that they were never expected to succeed.
That difference is where accent bias and language inequality live.
Accent Bias and Language Discrimination in Everyday Life
Accent bias shows up everywhere — in schools, workplaces, media, and public spaces.
Studies on language discrimination show that people with non-dominant accents are:
- Seen as less competent
- Paid less
- Interrupted more often
- Passed over for leadership roles
Compliments about English fluency don’t erase this bias. They reinforce the idea that speaking “good English” is exceptional for some — and automatic for others.
The Emotional Cost of a Bilingual Identity
For people living a bilingual identity, language isn’t just communication. It’s history. Migration. Survival.
Many bilingual Americans grow up translating documents, phone calls, and entire systems for their families — while being told later in life that their English is “great,” as if fluency appeared overnight.
This constant evaluation teaches people to code-switch, self-edit, and monitor their speech just to feel accepted.
That’s not belonging. That’s performance.
Why Fluency Shouldn’t Require Praise
The problem isn’t learning English.
The problem is expecting gratitude for it.
When English fluency becomes something to praise, it implies that not speaking perfectly is a failure — rather than a natural part of a multilingual society.
True respect doesn’t come with conditions.
And belonging doesn’t depend on how closely someone sounds like the dominant culture.
Rethinking Compliments About Language
Most people don’t intend harm when they say “your English is great.” But intention doesn’t cancel impact.
If we want to move past compliments with conditions, we have to question why language is still used to measure worth.
Because being understood should never require approval.
About the Author
About the Author
José Martínez is a journalist and author who writes about language, identity, and belonging. He is the author of Your English Is Great, But…, a book exploring accent bias, bilingual identity, and the hidden meaning behind everyday compliments.
👉 Your English Is Great, But… is available now on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Your-English-Great-But-Languages/dp/B0FHBJKJ6R
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