Isn't it amazing how people can change when they're in the spotlight? When people become the center of attention or feel that everyone is watching them they often behave completely contrary to their nature or their training. In English we often refer to the person in this situation as being, "put on the spot."
This is a common phenomena in the English language classroom. During the sankanbi season I can almost always count on the kids to transform into different creatures when their parents are in the room. The classes loaded with gifted speakers turn into something like a silent film. The more challenged classes suddenly have total recall and I can't believe my ears. I know how they feel.
This morning, when I was on the spot in interviews on Japanese radio and TV, I
thought to myself, "what the heck am I saying ?"
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I understood everything that was being said and in
my mind I remembered the appropriate phrases, but it wouldn't go from my mind to
my mouth. I felt like I was a separate person sitting there listening to some idiot mumbling to himself. Do you know the feeling?
In Japan it seems that impromptu interviews are very popular on TV. I used to be critical of the people I saw because they were native speakers and even I knew what they said didn't make any sense. I am no longer critical. I now know what it's like to be on the spot.
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English Academy