Mapping Two Decades of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Research: Hot‑spot Shifts, Technological Trends and Future Directions

Drawing on CiteSpace bibliometric visualisation software, this study conducts a knowledge‑mapping analysis of international journal publications concerning foreign language speaking anxiety spanning 2008‑2026. It aims to identify core research themes, map evolving research frontiers, and unpack prospective developmental trends in this field. Results reveal that scholarly interest in foreign language speaking anxiety has experienced an overall upward trajectory, establishing it as a prominent research agenda within international foreign‑language education with substantial research potential and ongoing expansion space. Existing scholarship has forged a relatively clear developmental path, advancing progressively from mechanistic interpretations, through pedagogical interventions, to technology‑empowered coping solutions. Nevertheless, notable limitations persist, including insufficient systematic integration of research themes, superficial investigations into emerging domains, and over‑reliance on a narrow repertoire of research methodologies. Future international inquiries into foreign language speaking anxiety should prioritise broadening thematic coverage, refining methodological designs, and strengthening cross‑strand theoretical synthesis.