(Originally shared January 30, 2023)
After physical appearance, our speech is one of the first things that people notice about us, and it forms an important basis for early impressions. Everyone has an accent, formed by the way vowels and consonants are pronounced, producing distinguishing tones or musicality. In multicultural societies like the United States, accentism (also called accent discrimination) continues to be a significant, and usually unconscious, form of prejudice.
Both domestic and foreign accents can prompt social discrimination. Accents from the Southern US are often used in popular media to portray characters who are ignorant or stupid, and Black Americans are criticized for using African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Generations of Americans believe the artificially regionless ‘General English’ taught in journalism schools is ‘correct’. American English speakers often assume people with non-native accents are less intelligent and competent, and feel justified complaining that accented presenters are ‘hard to understand.’
Because the way we speak is inherently tied to our sense of identity, our bias towards ‘other’ accents is deep-seated and often unconscious. Identifying and correcting such bias becomes easier with practice: when you meet someone for the first time, make a habit of mentally challenging your impressions of their speech, and you’ll start to realize where your implicit biases lie.
Some things you can do to make Cornell AgriTech a language-inclusive place:
- Accept that accents are nearly unchangeable, like skin color or height. Contrary to popular belief, it is almost impossible to ‘lose’ an accent, especially when speaking a language very different from that learned in childhood. Complex neurological and muscle-memory patterns are solidified by the end of puberty and may take intensive expert training to overcome – so accents aren’t indicative of laziness or incompetence.
- Don’t be a grammar snob. While good grammar is important for good communication, perfect grammar is (1) a moving target in a living language and (2) extremely difficult to achieve, especially if English isn’t your first tongue. If an idea is communicated clearly, leave grammar corrections for proofreading tasks.
- Re-examine your expectations of ‘professional’ speech. In some situations, the expectation of ‘professional’ speech is used as a subtle way to enforce class barriers. In the US, this is especially true for Black Americans, who are often perceived as ‘less professional’ if they don’t adopt White speech patterns.
- Slow down and use simple, unambiguous words. American English is packed with idiomatic phrases and nuanced near-synonyms that native speakers use unconsciously. To communicate clearly with foreign-born speakers, slow down, avoid idioms and sports analogies, and focus on enunciating ‘t’s and ‘r’s (which Americans are prone to drop.) When the goal is mutual understanding, simple language is most effective and inclusive.
At AgriTech, we grow things- including cultural competency and mutual understanding.
Sincerely,
Anna Katharine Mansfield and Amara Dunn
AgriTech DEI Council co-chairs