Why “Your English Is Great” Is Considered Offensive

At first, it sounds harmless.

“Your English is great.”

It’s often delivered with a smile, good intentions, and the belief that it’s a compliment. But for many bilingual and immigrant Americans, this phrase feels uncomfortable — and sometimes offensive.

So why is “your English is great” considered offensive?

Because it carries assumptions that go far beyond language.

The Assumption Behind the Compliment

When someone says “your English is great,” they are usually reacting to surprise.

Surprise that you speak English fluently.
Surprise that you sound educated.
Surprise that you don’t match the stereotype they expected.

The compliment exists because something else was assumed first: that your English wouldn’t be great.

That’s where the problem begins.

Why “Your English Is Great” Feels Different From Other Compliments

Native English speakers are rarely, if ever, told their English is “great.” It’s assumed. There’s no praise attached to it.

But when bilingual or immigrant speakers hear this phrase, it subtly separates them into a different category — one where fluency must be acknowledged, praised, or validated.

This turns language into a test.

And passing that test doesn’t guarantee acceptance — it just changes how you’re evaluated.

Language Discrimination Hiding in Plain Sight

This is where language discrimination comes into play.

Compliments about English fluency may seem positive, but they reinforce a system where:

• Certain accents are seen as more professional
• Certain ways of speaking are considered more intelligent
• Certain people are expected to “prove” their belonging

This is closely tied to accent bias, which affects hiring decisions, promotions, media representation, and classroom experiences.

The phrase “your English is great” doesn’t challenge that bias. It quietly supports it.

When Compliments Come With Conditions

Many people don’t mean to offend when they say this. But intention doesn’t cancel impact.

The condition hidden in the compliment is simple:
You are impressive for someone like you.

That unspoken comparison is what makes the phrase uncomfortable — and, for many, offensive.

Because respect should not depend on how closely someone aligns with the dominant culture’s expectations.

Bilingual Identity and the Pressure to Perform

For people with a bilingual identity, language is deeply personal.

It’s tied to family.
To memory.
To survival.

Many bilingual Americans grow up translating documents, conversations, and entire systems for their families — only to be praised later as if fluency appeared unexpectedly.

That contradiction creates pressure:

• To sound “neutral”
• To code-switch constantly
• To monitor every word

That’s not inclusion. That’s performance.

Rethinking How We Talk About Language

If we want to move away from compliments with conditions, we need to rethink how we talk about language altogether.

Instead of focusing on surprise, we should focus on understanding.
Instead of praising fluency, we should normalize multilingualism.
Instead of measuring worth through speech, we should listen more closely.

Because being understood should never require approval.

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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