You are on page 1of 9

Linguistic Discrimination

Linguistic Discrimination
Michael Nakamura and Lasana Trawally
AMES and the University of Utah

Linguistic Discrimination

2
Abstract

In the United States, academic achievement is measured, not only through test scores, not only
through grades, but also by how well a person speaks Standard English. The way a person
speaks is expected to be close to the way the majority of the people speak, and there is no
tolerance for differences. This paper focuses on the issue of linguistic discrimination. Although
linguistic discrimination is most commonly associated within the workplace, this form of
discrimination appears in many other areas. Linguistic discrimination is discriminating against
someone based on his or her speech. This can be caused by many different factors, such as a
persons accent. This paper will look at different forms of linguistic discrimination and how this
discrimination poses as a problem to society.

Linguistic Discrimination

3
Linguistic Discrimination
A Discrimination Situation

John Baugh is a professor of linguistics who, when growing up in the inner city of
Philadelphia and Los Angeles, was exposed to a variety of ethnic dialects.1 He developed a
theory regarding linguistic discrimination. He called this theory linguistic profiling. To study
how Americans respond to different accents and voices, Baugh used pay phones to call local
apartment managers in Detroit. He used his different dialects and accents and recorded the
different responses he received from the local apartment managers. Baugh found that most of the
time he received positive responses when he uses a neutral Caucasian male voice or Standard
English. When, however, he used a dialect that is often associated with African-Americans such
as the way comedian Chris Rock talks in his routines, apartment owners, more often than not,
had no vacancies. Baugh also used a Latino dialect, and he the results were similar to when he
used the African-American dialect.2 Baughs experiment perfectly describes the way language
can be used as a form of discrimination. In fact, there are questions whether linguistic profiling
against accents is one of the last acceptable areas for discrimination3. Baugh, who is an
African-American but has a more Caucasian dialect, found that when the apartment owners met
him personally, they could not blatantly discriminate against him after they learned he is AfricanAmerican. If an apartment owner or manager tries to judge someone by the way the person
speaks, the apartment owners can say they did not know the race of the person on the telephone

1 Johnson, P. (April 5, 2002). Linguistic profiling. The Black Commentator.


Retrieved from http://www.blackcommentator.com/linguistic_profiling_pr.html
2 McGarrity, L. (2012, May 8). DSYA Linguistic Profiling- John Baugh.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ778_tsqjs
3 Ingram, P.D. (February 2009). Are accents one of the last acceptable areas
for discrimination? Journal of Extension, 47 (1). Retrieved from
http://www.joe.org/joe/2009february/comm1.php

Linguistic Discrimination

because they did not actually see the person.4 Most people realize that it is not okay to show
prejudice against someone because of the color of their skin. But a large proportion of the same
people fail to recognize that it is not okay to show prejudice against someone because of the way
they speak.5
Language Discrimination
There is an idea that there is a correct way to speak English, and anything that deviates
from this way is incorrect, lazy, or unintelligible. People who speak with an accent are often
judged as being uneducated and unsophisticated.6 There are two kinds of accents that result in
wrongful discrimination. First, there is the use of English with variations related to a certain
geographical region or culture. Second, there is discrimination against people with English as a
second language.7 But an interesting observation has been made regarding linguistic
discrimination based on ethnicity. People are less likely to accommodate to people who have
accents that are perceived to be from a cultural background that is not Caucasian.8 For example,
4 Rice, P. (February 2, 2006). Linguistic profiling: The sound of your voice
may determine if you get that apartment or not. Washington University in St.
Louis Newsroom. Retrieved from
http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/6500.aspx
5 Shousterman, C. (October 30, 2013). Linguistic prejudice is a real prejudice
(and has real consequences). The Online Journal on African American
English. Retrieved from
http://africanamericanenglish.com/2013/10/30/linguistic-prejudice-is-areal- prejudice-and-has-real-consequences/
6 Shousterman, C. (October 30, 2013). Linguistic prejudice is a real prejudice
(and has real consequences). The Online Journal on African American
English. Retrieved from
http://africanamericanenglish.com/2013/10/30/linguistic-prejudice-is-areal- prejudice-and-has-real-consequences/
7 Ingram, P.D. (February 2009). Are accents one of the last acceptable areas
for discrimination? Journal of Extension, 47 (1). Retrieved from
http://www.joe.org/joe/2009february/comm1.php
8 Baghestani, S. (2007). The injustice of language-based discrimination
against immigrants in the United States. Human Rights and Social Justice
Writing Contest Miami University (Ohio). Retrieved from

Linguistic Discrimination

if two people have an accent, but one sounds African-American and one sounds German, most
people will perceive the individual with the German accent to be more educated and will be more
likely to accommodate the individual with the German accent. This is not true for people with an
African-American or Latino accent. In other words, the accent is tied to the cultural background
that many Caucasians perceive to be inferior. The problem is this is acceptable discrimination
because no one can prove that the discrimination is based on a persons accent. 9
Linguistic Discrimination in Education Linguistic discrimination is also prevalent in
educational settings. A majority of the teachers and principals teach and promote Standard
English. In a documentary on the effect of linguistic discrimination in schools, two AfricanAmerican men recalled how they were perceived as special needs children as a result of the way
they spoke African-American English instead of Standard English. They described how the
teachers gave them very little attention because they were viewed as unteachable. As it turns
out, the men had no learning disabilities. The only issue was they did not speak proper English
and teachers used this as a mode of discrimination.10 This form of discrimination negatively
affects the minoritys childrens self-esteem as a group. People who are part of the minority
group are put at a disadvantage compared to the members of the white, Standard Englishspeaking group.11
http://community.miamioh.edu/writingcontest2007/node/58
9 Baghestani, S. (2007). The injustice of language-based discrimination
against immigrants in the United States. Human Rights and Social Justice
Writing Contest Miami University (Ohio). Retrieved from
http://community.miamioh.edu/writingcontest2007/node/58
10 kmm010 (2008, April 28). Linguistic discrimination in school African
American English. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=WWIbIA9BltQ
11 Wright, S.C. & Bougie, E. (June 2007). Intergroup contact and minoritylanguage education: Reducing language-based discrimination and its
negative impact. Journal
of Language and Social Psychology, 26 (2).

Linguistic Discrimination

Beyond the classroom, linguistic discrimination in education can be seen in other areas. A
noteworthy area is in standardized testing. Standardized tests, which can be important in posthigh school academics, are written in a way that benefits Standard English speakers. A person
who does not speak English as a first language can have difficulty with sections in the test, such
as English and reading comprehension.12
Wrapping Up Thoughts In an interview with a Korean-born pharmacist in Salt Lake City
who speaks English with an accent, she said that when people call the pharmacy, they request to
speak with a tech worker who speaks English better, rather than her (she is a lead pharmacist).
She described how customers have used profanity and have had a lack of patience towards her
because of this language barrier. One interesting aspect that was brought up in the interview was
regarding linguistic barriers in other countries. She has lived in Seoul, Korea; London, England;
New York, New York; and Salt Lake City, Utah. She said that in London and Seoul, a person
with a language barrier is recognized as a guest and is treated with a higher level of respect.13
Linguistic discrimination is a real form of discrimination and should not be an acceptable issue
in this country. Despite this fact, linguistic discrimination is difficult to prove. In court cases
regarding linguistic discrimination, many times the discriminator can get away with acting
ignorant because many examples of linguistic discrimination can occur without face-to-face
confrontation.14 There is, however, a real dilemma in linguistic discrimination cases. Judges
question whether the notion that a person can tell a persons ethnic background or sexual
12 Terry, N.P. & Irving, M. A. (2010). Cultural and linguistic diversity: Issues in
education. Special Education for ALL Teahers, 5.
13 Name-Omitted Interviewer, personal communication, December 3, 2015
14 Rice, P. (February 2, 2006). Linguistic profiling: The sound of your voice
may determine if you get that apartment or not. Washington University in St.
Louis Newsroom. Retrieved from
http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/6500.aspx

Linguistic Discrimination

orientation by the way a person speaks is, itself, a form of racism, stereotyping, or
discrimination. A judge in a recent case asked, Are you fighting racism or promoting it? If I say
I know how blacks sound like, am I a racist?15 This leads to the problem that linguistic profiling
can cut both ways that may build a case against the wrong person.16 Ultimately what we find is
that whether it be in the courtroom or the classroom, linguistic prejudice can have real
consequences, an issue which is magnified by the fact that many dont even recognize its
existence.17

15 Smith, T. (October 28, 2002). Linguistic profiling. NPR Morning Edition.


Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=1128513
16Smith, T. (October 28, 2002). Linguistic profiling. NPR Morning Edition.
Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=1128513
17 Shousterman, C. (October 30, 2013). Linguistic prejudice is a real
prejudice (and has real consequences). The Online Journal on African
American English. Retrieved from
http://africanamericanenglish.com/2013/10/30/linguistic-prejudice-is-areal- prejudice-and-has-real-consequences/

Linguistic Discrimination

Works Cited
Baghestani, S. (2007). The injustice of language-based discrimination against
immigrants

in the United States. Human Rights and Social Justice

Writing Contest Miami University (Ohio). Retrieved from


http://community.miamioh.edu/writingcontest2007/node/58
Ingram, P.D. (February 2009). Are accents one of the last acceptable areas
for

discrimination? Journal of Extension, 47 (1). Retrieved from


http://www.joe.org/joe/2009february/comm1.php

Johnson, P. (April 5, 2002). Linguistic profiling. The Black Commentator.


Retrieved from
http://www.blackcommentator.com/linguistic_profiling_pr.html
kmm010 (2008, April 28). Linguistic discrimination in school African
American English.

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=WWIbIA9BltQ
McGarrity, L. (2012, May 8). DSYA Linguistic Profiling- John Baugh. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ778_tsqjs
Name-Omitted Interviewer, personal communication, December 3, 2015
Rice, P. (February 2, 2006). Linguistic profiling: The sound of your voice may
determine if you get that apartment or not. Washington University in St.
Louis Newsroom. Retrieved from
http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/6500.aspx

Linguistic Discrimination

Shousterman, C. (October 30, 2013). Linguistic prejudice is a real prejudice


(and has real

consequences). The Online Journal on African American

English. Retrieved from


http://africanamericanenglish.com/2013/10/30/linguistic-prejudice-is-areal- prejudice-and-has-real-consequences/
Smith, T. (October 28, 2002). Linguistic profiling. NPR Morning Edition.
Retrieved from

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?

storyId=1128513
Terry, N.P. & Irving, M. A. (2010). Cultural and linguistic diversity: Issues in
education. Special Education for ALL Teahers, 5.
Wright, S.C. & Bougie, E. (June 2007). Intergroup contact and minoritylanguage

education: Reducing language-based discrimination and its

negative impact. Journal

of Language and Social Psychology, 26 (2).

You might also like