People who speak with a second language accent often elicit negative stereotypes such as being considered less trustworthy, less intelligent or less pleasant to listen to. They can also face outright discrimination in the legal system and the housing market. Here’s what that means.
Those who speak with a non-native accent are commonly considered less intelligent, competent, or trustworthy. They’re also often deemed less pleasing to listen to than those with the dominant accent.
What they face is accent bias, a form of prejudice that’s not as well-known as gender, race, or religious discrimination, but is as prevalent and impactful. Here are the consequences of accent bias, and how an accent translator can help.
What is an Accent?
Anaccent is how you pronounce a language. It’s a manner of pronunciation that’s particular to certain areas or social groups. In addition to where you’re from, an accent can tell people about your socioeconomic status.
By the way, we all have an accent. You may not be aware of that, particularly if you tend to be around people from your region. If you travel to another area, though, people there can hear your accent.
What is Accent Bias?
It’s basically a bias against how someone speaks. In other words, it’s an often-subconscious prejudice against those who speak a language with an accent that’s different from the dominant culture.
The Consequences of Accent Bias
There have been studies that show that people with a non-native accent are often considered less trustworthy, less intelligent, less competent, and even less attractive, their socioeconomic status notwithstanding.
An accent can also present a barrier to verbal communication, particularly in offshore call centers and other industries where such communication is vital. Those with non-native accents can face roadblocks to employment and career opportunities, as well as to career advancement. Job candidates who speak with an accent that is generally accepted in a region are more apt to be hired, according to a 2022 study.
Further, a 2023 SAP Concur report found that almost one in five non-native employees were passed over for business trips due to their accent. In addition, those with such accents had problems collaborating with colleagues and were chosen less frequently for work presentations.
Accent bias can also negatively affect the diverse mix of workplace experiences, perspectives, and ideas. When a person’s accent causes them to face judgment or neglect, not only can that affect inclusivity, but it can reduce employee satisfaction. They may also be wary of sharing ideas for fear of being mocked. This can affect the generation of novel ideas and ultimately cause the employer to lose outstanding talent.
There’s also a psychological toll. Because non-native speakers commonly feel frustration or shame when faced with accent bias, they often experience anxiety, stress, depression, or self-esteem problems. This can also lead to social isolation and poorer mental health. To lessen the pain of accent bias, some are forced to resort to self-deprecation to preempt jokes against them.
Our accents are a major part of what makes us who we are. Still, those who speak with an accent that’s considered “foreign” or unpleasant can face consequences in nearly every area of life. That’s why, in offshore call centers where agents commonly speak with non-native accents, accent translators such as those offered by Tomato.ai are increasingly popular.
