![]() The term usually refers to anyone who speaks English from early childhood, as their first language. Globally, non-native speakers of English outnumber native speakers three to one, although defining the term ‘native English speaker’ is complicated. So, how do we end linguistic discrimination – and create a more inclusive, functional use of language to benefit native and non-native speakers alike? And, as these kinds of situations continue – especially when companies don’t recognise or stop them – things can get worse for workers, as they’re side-lined or flat-out excluded in the workplace.Īs the globe becomes even more connected in a remote-work world, the ability for workers to be able to speak to each other effectively and respectfully is imperative. Yet no matter what’s driving these kinds of incidents, workers feel lasting, often demoralising, effects. Not every type of linguistic discrimination is intentional many people who think they’re being inclusive don’t understand that their inherent biases are pushing them to make judgements they don’t even know they’re making. Yet instead of embracing this linguistic diversity, we still rank particular types of English higher than others – which means that both native and non-native speakers who differ from what’s considered ‘standard’ can find themselves judged, marginalised and even penalised for the way their English sounds. English is constantly evolving, because of the diverse ways different nations and groups use it. Globally, more people are using English than ever, and it’s a dominant language in business, science and government. Of course, this case of linguistic discrimination wasn’t an isolated episode. ![]() The investigation ultimately led the non-profit to introduce employee training and periodic HR check-ins to try and remedy the issue. ![]() When Roberts and her team looked into the matter, they found that the allegations had substance, and that employees of colour had been treated differently they were being spoken to disrespectfully, as if they weren’t competent to hold their positions, and their opinions and suggestions weren’t being taken seriously. He became self-conscious during the meetings that he was able to attend, and ended up using the chat feature instead of speaking up, says Kia Roberts, Triangle’s founder and principal. An Ethiopian-accented staff member had reported that his colleagues frequently interrupted him during Zoom calls, commented on the unintelligibility of his English and excluded him from meetings. Last summer, Triangle Investigations, a New York-based HR consultancy, examined allegations of accent discrimination at a global non-profit organisation. ![]()
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