Comments on: ‘I’m not listening to you!’ Interacting in a linguistically diverse society

By: Christina

Christina — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 15:44:04 +0000

I think in Ahmed’s case he was not taken seriously because he was unable to provide the urgency in his pain / sickness. Our words do not directly transfer exactly, meaning that a word in Spanish such as the ‘severity’ of the pain may not equate in the English language. If we look at food for example, a ‘hot’ spice in food (i.e. very spicy to our mouths) in Australia may equate to a ‘mild’ spice (i.e. not so spicy to our mouths) in Spain. Much like language our ‘performance’ of what we are transmitting is different to how we ‘perceive’ the outcome. I have felt the same when I travel to South America. I have eaten different variations of food and ‘ice’ has been added to my drink. My stomach is uneasy and it is very difficult to describe such pain to the pharmacist. To them it is indigestion but to me it is far worse than indigestion, due to the variation of food spice or possibly the not so clean water we may be used to in our country. Much like language, we prescribe what we know based on our perception of our surroundings or the environment we are in and then use that performance that one size fits all.

Being educated or maybe those who have experienced different cultures / travelled or have experienced themselves in other countries may have an affect in how we treat others or perceive others from countries who have English as a second language. I had seen one example yesterday when an Irish person was trying to order something and the attendant was very happy to help to convert the menu for him. Possibly he has an understanding of what it is like to be in a different place. The attendants ‘perception’ is associated with wanting to help that person (i.e. performance) as he knows what it is like to be in a foreign land.

By: Eliza

Eliza — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 05:31:31 +0000

Reading this article reminded me of something one of my students shared with me recently. While I’m fortunate not to have experienced this type of discrimination personally, my student in Canada is dealing with it now. In our online class yesterday, she talked about her frustration with being unemployed, and how her friend, who is in the same situation,was hired for a job that she had applied for three weeks ago. The strange part? The HR told her they weren’t hiring, but then hired her friend, who has fewer qualifications. The difference? Her friend speaks English fluently because she was born and raised in Canada, while my student has a thicker Chinese accent.

It’s really unfair how much weight accents carry in situations like this. My student is a better fit for the role, yet she was dismissed because of how she speaks. This article resonated deeply with her experience and highlights how unjust these biases are.

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 02:42:31 +0000

In reply to HeleneB. Language can be a big part of the attraction ... some years ago, I wrote an article about accent and romance ;) Piller, I. (2008). ‘I always wanted to marry a cowboy:’ bilingual couples, language and desire. In T. A. Karis & K. D. Killian (Eds.), Intercultural Couples: Exploring Diversity in Intimate Relationships (pp. 53-70). Routledge.

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 02:40:03 +0000

In reply to Jaspreet kaur.

That’s really heart-breaking – one would think that, as an aged-care resident, they’d have enough time to be kind and take an interest …

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 02:35:27 +0000

In reply to Mah Grace. What a good example how a little care and effort can make a big difference!

By: Ashmita

Ashmita — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:40:43 +0000

Its really heart breaking to know a young man died just because of his poor English proficiency and societal judgements. Here in Australia What I have found is there is tension mostly because of accent and meaning generation leading to intercultural miscommunication. In my case though being a fluent in English, I have encountered some challenges in my workplace because of the accent I use back from my home country when I firstly arrived on Australia. Generally what I have found i L2 Accents and pronunciations is different from L1 or native speakers which creates problem is language interpretation leading to miscommunication.

By: T Pham (Jill)

T Pham (Jill) — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:39:16 +0000

Reading the article made me think a lot about my experience as an international student in a linguistically diverse society. I’ve encountered situations where, despite my best efforts to communicate, people seem to dismiss me because of my accent or hesitate when I’m trying to express myself in English. It’s frustrating, especially when I know I’m capable but still feel judged by my language skills rather than my ideas. The article really hit home by showing how these moments of exclusion aren’t just personal struggles but reflect larger societal issues.

For me, this has impacted interactions in both academic and social settings. I’ve sometimes held back from speaking up, fearing my accent would be misunderstood that I might not be taken seriously or people seem to assume my English isn’t good enough to communicate clearly. This experience reminds me of how important it is for people to show more patience and understanding when interacting with non-native speakers like me. Language should be a tool for connection, not a barrier that creates distance.

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 23:24:55 +0000

In reply to N.S.. English language teaching surprisingly often is a real bastion of nativist and racist attitudes :(

By: Viviana Francisca Gonzalez Rodriguez

Viviana Francisca Gonzalez Rodriguez — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:37:48 +0000

Oh and I forgot to say, after i learned some Chinese the people never didscriminate me or said I was wrong, but congratulate me for my good accent, or at least they said so… Maybe I have been lucky enough! To add, many Chinese people in China who speakl English are quite open to changes and have knowledge enough to have deep conversations despite any type of accent, especially university students.

By: Viviana Francisca Gonzalez Rodriguez

Viviana Francisca Gonzalez Rodriguez — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:30:51 +0000

This is a good example of how we use to assume things based on our own language perception, but who says who is right and who is wrong? Everyone, for sure, have different perceptions according to own experiences and backgrounds. I’ve experienced few misunderstandings while living in China, as mentioned in past comments, but mostly due to the big culture differences and how they have their own sign language. At the beginning, I used to think they laughed at me because I couldn’t speak Chinese, but later I realized they laughed because they could not speak English, quite opposite, isn’t it? Maybe my western culture led me to assume so at the beginning. My whole experience with Asian people and friends has been nice, most of them too nice that I could not believe they were helping me or giving me lot of things without expecting anything in exchange, which made me feel so appreciated and very welcome to their circle. Having said that, I believe before assuming anything that may cause some discomfort or side effects, we inquire a little bit about the other’s person culture if possible to embrace new knowledge and avoid misunderstandings. Sometimes we just don’t mean it!

Thanks for reading.

By: eun

eun — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 01:24:58 +0000

When I was younger, I worked hard to eliminate my Korean accent, believing it made me sound less competent in English. I thought mastering a native-sounding accent would earn me more respect, so I focused on that rather than truly learning the language’s deeper nuances. This personal experience mirrors the broader issues discussed in Faysal Ishak Ahmed’s case, where language and accent affected how seriously he was taken, with tragic consequences. It’s not just about fluency but about perception. Like Ahmed, I faced situations where my accent led others to assume I lacked competence, despite speaking grammatically correct English. This reflects a common tension between performance and perception in language proficiency. Linguistic bias can hinder opportunities in healthcare, employment, and education, showing that the social reception of language is just as crucial as its mastery.

By: Lindsieee

Lindsieee — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:17:13 +0000

I have a personal experience. When I was a university student, I had the opportunity to work in an educational environment at a famous English centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At that time, I was fortunate to lead a presentation about the centre I was working for and the quality of teaching for foreign customers who were partners of the company. Although I had prepared well and had a deep understanding of the content, I was still worried about my ability to convey information in English. When presenting, I found it challenging to keep the language accurate while maintaining a natural and engaging tone for the audience. However, as the presentation progressed, I gradually found my rhythm and confidence. The clients responded very positively, asked thoughtful questions, and showed great interest in what my centre was doing. They not only appreciated the content but also complimented me on how clearly and confidently I presented it. This experience made me realise that, despite my initial language anxiety, performance and confidence are often more important than linguistic perfection.

By: Chris Sheehan

Chris Sheehan — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 11:44:40 +0000

Fortunately I have not experienced any negativity or tension with my language learning endeavors, but I recall an interesting discussion I had with a teacher who referred to their adult English learners as ‘my kids’ or ‘like my kids’. Curiously, I asked why they had that perception. It was due to their low language proficiency (CEFR A1) – their utterances and pronunciation of some words made them seem younger than they were, despite many of these students possessing very high intelligence and in professional fields such as medicine, law, and engineering in their own first language. The teacher laughed and mentioned that it is very clear and evident they are adults, although this observation stuck with me and got me thinking about how such perceptions may be also found in other professional and social contexts for English learners, and how it can affect their confidence if told their proficiency in the language is childlike.

By: Tiramisucake

Tiramisucake — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 11:37:18 +0000

I consider myself proficient in English and can easily pick up an Australian accent, so I haven’t had many difficulties using the language in Australia. However, there’s a tension between how I perceive my skills and how native speakers react to small mistakes. For example, today at work, a child asked me for paper for a craft. I said, ‘Let me open the cupboard,’ but mispronounced ‘cupboard’ as /kʌbɔːd/ instead of /ˈkʌbəd/. The child immediately asked why I said it that way. Similarly, I once said ‘please’ twice in a sentence, and a child laughed at me. I felt really disappointed in myself because of these minor slip-ups, especially as I consider myself a proficient English speaker. However, at the end of the day, these experiences act as mirrors, helping me reflect on my English proficiency, reminding me not to be overconfident. Learning is a continuous journey.

By: Mah Grace

Mah Grace — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 11:36:43 +0000

Earlier this year, I had spent a few months in a boarding house. All the occupants except one were international students. There was a particular male student who I noticed right away on my first week at the facility that kept his distance from any kind of gathering in the dinning/ kitchen area during the evening meals when most of us would converge for dinner. I noticed that he would either go to the kitchen earlier or much later than everyone else. During my first week, I didn’t hear him at all utter a single word as he would just pass me with a smile and a bow. I finally got to speak with him on my second week when I saw him preparing his dinner at about 2pm and I had gone there to get some fruit for myself. I said Hi and introduced myself and asked him for his name. As soon as he told me his name, he added further “Sorry, me Englis no good” I assured him that it’s okay and that all of us in that boarding house are the same. He then added further, “No you Englis, too high”. I laughed and told him that we are the same. That fruit fetching trip of mine to the kitchen ended up with me joining my Vietnamese friend in cooking my dinner so we could continue with our stories. I got to learn that day that Francis came in earlier or later than everyone else to cook his dinner because he had tried to socialize but no one seemed to be interested in talking with him due to his poor English. Due to this he felt embarrassed to speak with anyone. He also felt that way because most of us were university students while he was an ELISCO student. But after much encouragement, Francis joined everyone else in preparing and sharing dinner. This helped him tremendously with his communication, although at times, I felt that some of our housemates preferred to ignore him. I would always step in whenever I realized that this was the scenario as I was aware of Francis’ struggle. When I left the boarding house in June, Francis had gained confidence in himself in conversing in English whilst cooking and sharing dinner with other household members.

By: Saga Nygård

Saga Nygård — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 11:33:10 +0000

In elementary school, a new girl joined our school within the last term of the year, and she knew next to no English. Due to the area we lived in being 100% monolingual, a lot of people either did not speak to her or laughed at her, calling her stupid because she was automatically placed in the lowest level classes due to lack of English proficiency. There was no interpreter offered to her in her classes, and for the rest of elementary school and most of high school, I never saw her with any friends. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I finally heard her voice, and she had graduated top of her class in English studies for the HSC. According to some of her friends, she had only completed that course instead of English Advanced because she was ‘expected to’ because she had a Vietnamese accent and didn’t speak often.