Comments on: Accountants as language workers

By: A water perspective on language research – Language on the Move

A water perspective on language research – Language on the Move — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 21:09:37 +0000

[…] the Philippines. Aimee Joy Bautista (an offshore accountant who participated in my research about language practice and ideology in this work world of numbers) posted about her unique NGL conference experience here. I was also happy to meet another kababayan […]

By: Language on the Move Reading Challenge 2023 – Language on the Move

Language on the Move Reading Challenge 2023 – Language on the Move — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 05:05:31 +0000

[…] For more information see “Language that counts.” […]

By: Rethinking Language Learning for Accountants – Channel View Publications and Multilingual Matters

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 10:30:54 +0000

[…] accountants engage in complex language and communication work. In this field, effective communication has multiple, shifting meanings. While English is treated […]

By: Pia Tenedero

Pia Tenedero — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 15:04:35 +0000

In reply to Angela Ardidon. Thank you for your interest, Angela. I'm heartened that you are taking away from this a broader view of people (especially accountants) and how they use and value language/s. Your comment is a beautiful synthesis to our IPEAP learning targets! :-)

By: Angela Ardidon

Angela Ardidon — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 14:17:09 +0000

It is great to come across this 4-minute-read published by Dr. Pia Tenedero, who is currently my course facilitator for the Issues and Perspectives in English across Professions (IPEAP) course in the BA English Language Studies Program of the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines. Actually, for our second ILO project, we were tasked to conduct a student-led discussion with the class about how accounting workers utilize language. My group focused on Dr. Tenedero’s in-press article, “Preparing Global South Accountants to Be ‘Superstar’ Communicators.” This paper examines whether and how future globalized Filipino accountants are prepared to manage diverse communication demands on the job and investigates how universities in the Philippines prepare accounting students for communication in global workplaces. Accounting or Accountancy, similar to other fields and disciplines, uses English. They utilize the language with the vast hopes and urge to relay the most profound information and knowledge that would benefit the masses. As future professionals in the language field, we should not just accept the stereotype associated with accountants. While previous studies try hard to prove that accountants are poor communicators, we must explore the issue more meticulously and learn the grounds behind such a notion. Suppose our accountants are perceived to need better communication skills; in that case, training and honing their communication skills should be given more focus and attention instead of just perceiving them as “professionals who are only good with numbers.” In the end, accountants are language workers and communicators. Despite having their job focus on the works and ways of numbers, language is innate in them. Thus, there’s so much more to accounting and much more to see beyond the numbers themselves.

By: Pia Tenedero

Pia Tenedero — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 03:36:20 +0000

In reply to Robert Phillipson.

Thank you, Robert, for highlighting Mehdi’s work. His research on the language experiences of call center workers has richly informed my study. I am very grateful!
I excitedly extend this conversation by looking at the language ideologies and practices of offshore accountants, which are easily overlooked as they are popularly seen as numbers people rather than language workers, which, in fact, they are.
Would love to know your thoughts about the book if you get the chance to check it out. 🙂

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 19:54:33 +0000

In reply to Robert Phillipson. Thank you, Robert, for the references! Important work! Mehdi was actually one of the examiners of Pia's PhD :-)

By: Robert Phillipson

Robert Phillipson — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:40:45 +0000

I have followed the work of a business studies professor who sees the work of the big accountancy firms as contributing to English linguistic imperialism. His website is here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/business/staff/mehdiboussebaa/
Mehdi has a short chapter, ‘Offshore call centre work is breeding a new colonialism’, in Why English? Confronting the Hydra, edited by Pauline Bunce, myself, Vaughan Rapatahana, and Ruanni Tupas, Multilingual Matters. He is a very talented person, working as a critical scholar in a business school. I think you might find his publications helpful in situating call centre activity in relation to geopolitical issues.
See, for instance Boussebaa, M. (2017) Global professional service firms, transnational organizing and core/periphery networks. In: Seabrooke, L. and Henriksen, L. F. (eds.) Professional Networks in Transnational Governance. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, pp. 233-244. ISBN 9781107181878

Boussebaa, M. and Faulconbridge, J. (2016) The work of global professional service firms. In: Wilkinson, A., Hislop, D. and Coupland, C. (eds.) Perspectives on Contemporary Professional Work: Challenges and Experiences. Series: New horizons in management. Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham, UK ; Northampton, MA, pp. 105-122. ISBN 9781783475575 (doi: 10.4337/9781783475582.00014)

Boussebaa, M. and Morgan, G. (2015) Internationalization of professional service firms. In: Empson, L., Muzio, D., Broschak, J. and Hinings, B. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Professional Service Firms. Series: Oxford handbooks. Oxford University Press: Oxford, pp. 71-91. ISBN 9780199682393 (doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199682393.013.5)

Congratulations on the book! Robert

By: Pia Tenedero

Pia Tenedero — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 06:57:23 +0000

In reply to Ingrid Piller. Thanks, Paul, for your interest! Your anecdote highlights another stereotype of accountants as ‘corrupt’. My book doesn’t look into this stigma, but in chapters 6 and 7 I discuss surveillance practices applied to virtual accountants. Working remotely seems to inspire low trust, heightened scrutiny, and possibly an imagining of accountants doing ‘funny business’ when working from home. Thanks, Ingrid, for mentioning my other book and pointing me as well to that writeup! Happily sharing it with interested readers – Catholic or otherwise. ;-)

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 01:26:30 +0000

In reply to Paul Desailly.

“Cultural Catholics” they are now called in Europe – it takes one, to spot one 😉

By: Paul Desailly

Paul Desailly — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 22:38:11 +0000

Ingrid, jaan, you know, Germany is hardly devoid of the Jesuit teaching: “Once a Catholic, always a Catholic.” I admit, in a way, I’m still a Catholic – on my good day. What else could I say with four older sisters (Mary, Bernadette, Christine, Joan) enamoured of the Pope in Rome, who still spoil me rotten

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 21:57:32 +0000

In reply to Paul Desailly. Thanks, Paul! I suspected you to be lapsed Catholic ;-) ... you might enjoy Pia's other book, too: Sundays with Domingo

By: Paul Desailly

Paul Desailly — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 21:51:52 +0000

Back in the unregulated days of the silly sixties and sexy seventies when anyone able to count raised the hand if a call went out for an accountant I too numbered myself among that inarticulate and laconic group of suboptimal communicators before moving into interlinguistics. B.P. Australia’s advert for a number cruncher attracted only three applicants when the unemployment rate here was 3%. The other two looked the part but I couldn’t fathom why their interviews with the CEO terminated after a minute or two until he asked his one and only question: “What does one plus one equal?” So, I tucked my hair up under my hat, imagined myself working for a mega company, raced over to the curtains, dimmed the lights and eyeballed him with the only answer he wanted to hear: “What would you like it to equal?” The pay was great but there were no pretty women there with names like Pia and so I hit the road after a while. Pious nowadays is under valued as a virtue in the corporate world, and as the Latin adjective it is, but it appeals to me as an ex-roaming Catholic. I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced?