Linguistic-Minority People's English Accents Matter: Uprooting Accent Discrimination in American Schools and Other Institutions

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Bilingualism and Language Shift in the Context of Heritage Language

Abstract

We live in a society where standard accents are highly valued. Generally, those who speak Standard English accent are seen through a positive lens linguistically than those whose English accent is stigmatized (Baugh, 2018). Depending on where one’s accent originates, one may be subject to insidious forms of accent discrimination. In American schools, including higher education, bilingual students and professors are routinely subjected to linguistic discrimination because of their non-standard English accent. This study draws from sociocultural theoretical framework and testimonios of 10 minority students and professors from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds to underscore various ways in which they have been subjected to and have resisted accent discrimination in American schools and other institutions.

Author

• Pierre W. Orelus, Fairfield University