Stereotypes of non-English speakers- Opinion Column

            Stereotypes made of non-English speakers are commonly seen and heard of. This type of linguistic discrimination can be commonly seen in work and school environments, healthcare, social circles, etc. Many view those with broken English as un-educated, and are un-able to view them from a professional stance, as people are “less likely to believe something if it’s said with a foreign accent”, according to psycholinguistic Lev Ari. These stereotypes are often made by those not as culturally-aware, as they may reside in regions with less of an international demographic. Linguistic differences can often lead to inability to access jobs, education or healthcare due to downgrading stereotypes. People are “easy to make judgment’s about a person’s cultural affiliation or education” due to the way they speak a language, even if the speaker is well educated and knowledgeable, as said by sociolinguist Ingrid Piller. From personal experience, having to master two languages is a hard task. Creating stereotypes about people solely based on their ability to speak the preferred language of the local culture is wrong. The individual could be able to excel in understanding the language, but just lack the ability to speak it back. A person’s ability to speak the language should not create any societal limits for them, as they are still valuable human beings just like the rest of the native speakers in that society.

            Take Stephen Hawking for example; he is a mastermind although he lacks the ability to express his thoughts verbally. Although his inability is due to a terminal condition, this relates to the idea of one having brilliant ideas, but not being able to express them through the ‘wanted’ language. I believe that what one has to offer to the table is much more important than how they communicate it. It is understandable that some professions require excelling English due to reliability issues, however this means there are a plethora of job opportunities left that do not necessarily have this requirement. Having ‘broken’ English usually concludes that the speaker excels at their home language, which may be much harder to learn than English itself. As well, the individual is still able to learn and better their English language. Ones ability to speak a language does not reflect their interest in it, as they may have started learning it at a later stage in life. It should be respected that the person took the time to learn any English, and are trying to use it to the best of their ability, instead of creating negative stereotypes around it. The reality is that more foreign dialects are to be seen in workplaces, healthcare centers, etc. as cities are growing with international people. It is up to one’s ability to accept others from different cultures, and not judge/associate them to existing negative stereotypes, in order to create accepting societies.