Overcoming Fear Of Mistakes When Speaking English

What does “without judgment” mean in English?

Most English learners know “judgment” from legal English — a judge gives a judgment. But in everyday conversation “judgment” means the negative opinion other people form about you. When someone says “there is no judgment here,” they mean: nobody will think badly of you. The BBC presenter uses the phrase twice, and it is the most important feeling in the lesson: fear of judgment is the main reason people stop speaking.

You can use “without judgment” in many real situations: “Tell me what happened — I’m listening without judgment.” “This is a safe space, no judgment.” “She always talks without judgment, so I trust her.” In the clip, the BBC presenter describes a speaking workshop where learners had to talk for thirty seconds on any topic: “This was a safe space where there was no judgment and no one correcting the mistakes.” That one sentence shows why many people stay silent — they are not afraid of being wrong; they are afraid of what others will think.