THE POWER OF NAMES AND NAMING: It's not pronounced "Pay-dro"! (Bucholtz 2016)

Summary

In this video, Mike explores the concept of 'indexical bleaching' through the lens of name mispronunciation, particularly in educational settings. Using examples from pop culture and real-life experiences, he discusses how misnaming, especially of students with ethnic names, can strip away cultural identity and power. The discussion highlights the subtle dynamics of linguistic violence and how names carry deep social meanings that are often overlooked. The video underscores the importance of recognizing and respecting the cultural significance of names in diverse social contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 The script discusses the phenomenon of teachers mispronouncing students' names, particularly those perceived as foreign or difficult.
• 🎓 It references a comedy sketch to highlight the humor and irony when a black teacher mispronounces white students' names, which is a reversal of common situations.
• 🗣️ The author, Mary Buckles, introduces the concept of 'indexical bleaching' as a technique of de-racialization, where names are anglicized to strip them of ethno-racial meanings.
• 👨‍🏫 The chapter emphasizes that misnaming can position students as powerless or deviant in the classroom, affecting their sense of identity and belonging.
• 🏫 The practice is particularly prevalent in the United States among white English-speaking teachers, who often feel no obligation to accurately pronounce non-English names.
• 🌐 'Indexical' refers to a sign that points to something, and names can be indexical, carrying meanings related to gender, ethnicity, culture, and more.
• 🔄 The renaming or misnaming of students can be seen as a form of linguistic violence, where the power dynamics in the classroom are made visible.
• 👥 The script also points out that misnaming is not limited to white teachers but can be perpetuated by anyone in a position of power, regardless of their racial or ethnic background.
• 🌟 Correct pronunciation of names can be affirming and empowering, as illustrated by the author's personal experience of having his last name correctly pronounced after years of mispronunciation.
• 🌱 The chapter suggests that the normalization of misnaming can lead to a cycle where students internalize these power dynamics, accepting misnaming as a standard part of their educational experience.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the chapter by Mary Buckles?

The main topic discussed is the practice of 'indexical bleaching' as a technique of de-racialization, particularly in the context of teachers mispronouncing students' names, especially those perceived as foreign or difficult.

How does the comedy sketch from 'Key & Peele' relate to the chapter's topic?

The sketch inverts the usual power hierarchy by featuring a black teacher mispronouncing white students' names, which highlights the common occurrence of misnaming in real life and makes the audience reflect on why it's not funny when it happens the other way around.

What is 'indexical bleaching' in the context of this chapter?

Indexical bleaching refers to the practice of anglicizing the names of Latinx students with Spanish language names, often stripping away the cultural and ethnic meanings associated with the original pronunciation.

What is an 'indexical' or 'index' in semiotics?

An indexical or index is a sign that points to something, indicating a meaning or a set of meanings. It's a concept used in semiotics to describe how certain signs can represent or refer to other things.

How can names potentially index meanings beyond the individual they refer to?

Names can index meanings such as gender, nationality, ethnicity, formality, and more, depending on the context and the person interpreting the name.

Why is the correct pronunciation of a name important according to the chapter?

The correct pronunciation of a name is important because it can index a person's identity, heritage, and culture. Mispronouncing or changing a name can be seen as a form of linguistic violence, stripping away parts of a person's identity.

What is the concept of 'linguistic violence' as mentioned in the chapter?

Linguistic violence refers to the act of misnaming or renaming someone in a way that can make them feel powerless or inferior, often used to assert dominance or control over someone.

How does the chapter illustrate the power dynamics involved in misnaming?

The chapter uses the example of a teacher mispronouncing a student's name in a classroom setting to show how names can be a site of power struggle, especially when there is a significant difference in social positions between the individuals involved.

What are the implications of misnaming for Latinx students in U.S. public schools as discussed in the chapter?

Misnaming can lead to feelings of powerlessness and invisibility for Latinx students, as well as a sense of not belonging or being an outsider in their educational environment.

How does the author suggest that misnaming can be resisted or addressed?

The author implies that misnaming can be resisted by recognizing it as a form of linguistic violence and by advocating for the correct pronunciation and recognition of names as an act of respect and acknowledgment of one's identity.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Indexical Bleaching

The speaker, Mike, introduces the topic of 'indexical bleaching' from a chapter by Mary Buckles in the book 'Racializing Language.' He discusses the common issue of teachers mispronouncing students' names, particularly those perceived as foreign or difficult. Using a comedy sketch as an example, Mike highlights the power dynamics at play when a black teacher mispronounces white students' names, which is a reversal of the usual racial hierarchy. The chapter explores how renaming, misnaming, and 'd'naming' can position students as powerless or deviant, and introduces the concept of 'indexical' to understand the social meanings behind names.

05:01

🧐 Understanding Indexicals and Names

Mike explains the concept of 'indexicals' as signs that point to something, using the example of smoke indicating fire. He extends this to names, which can index meanings beyond the individual, such as gender, nationality, or formality. The name 'Mike' is used to illustrate how names can carry multiple meanings depending on the context and the interpreter. The discussion then shifts to how anglicizing Spanish names can strip away cultural and ethnic meanings, which is referred to as 'indexical bleaching.' This process can be seen as a form of de-racialization, where the original, culturally specific meanings of names are diminished.

10:01

🗣️ The Impact of Misnaming in Educational Contexts

The speaker shares personal experiences with misnaming, emphasizing the power dynamics at play when teachers or superiors mispronounce names. He describes 'indexical bleaching' as a form of linguistic violence that can strip individuals of their cultural identity. Using examples from the chapter, Mike discusses how Latina youth in a California public school are often misnamed, denamed, or renamed, which can lead to a feeling of powerlessness. The chapter also notes that while the focus is on white teachers misnaming students of color, anyone with structural power can perpetuate this act. The importance of context is highlighted, with different reactions expected from students based on their social position.

15:04

📢 Conclusion and Call to Action

Mike concludes the discussion by emphasizing the power of names and the importance of correct pronunciation. He shares a personal anecdote about the significance of having his last name pronounced correctly, which made him feel a connection to his Mexican-American identity. The video ends with a call to action for viewers to support the channel on Patreon and a reminder that despite historical practices, marginalized people are aware of and affected by the ongoing misnaming and indexical bleaching.

Keywords

💡Indexical Bleaching

Indexical bleaching refers to the process of altering names to make them more 'Anglicized' or conforming to the dominant language's phonetic patterns, thereby stripping them of their original cultural and ethnic connotations. In the video, this concept is used to describe how names with Spanish origins are often mispronounced or changed by English-speaking teachers, which can be seen as a form of de-racialization. The video illustrates this through the example of a teacher who might change 'Miguel' to 'Michael', thereby removing the Hispanic cultural markers.

💡De-racialization

De-racialization is the act of removing or downplaying the racial or ethnic aspects of something, such as a name, to make it seem more neutral or conform to a dominant culture. In the context of the video, de-racialization is discussed as a technique used by educators to rename students, often in a way that erases their cultural identity. The video uses the term to critique practices that can be seen as disrespectful or harmful to students' sense of self and heritage.

💡Linguistic Violence

Linguistic violence is a concept that describes the harm or power imbalance that can occur when language is used in a way that marginalizes or disrespects individuals or groups. In the video, this term is used to describe the act of misnaming or renaming students, which can make them feel powerless or as if their identity is being disrespected. The video suggests that such misnamings can be a form of violence because they can strip individuals of their cultural identity and place them in a subordinate position.

💡Indexical

An indexical is a type of sign that points to or signifies something else. In semiotics, indexicals are signs that have a direct connection to the thing they represent. In the video, the term is used to discuss how names can index a person's identity, culture, and social background. For example, the name 'Miguel' might index a person's Hispanic heritage, while 'Michael' might index an American or English-speaking background.

💡Renaming

Renaming, as discussed in the video, refers to the act of changing someone's name, often without their consent, to make it more familiar or acceptable to the dominant culture. This practice is highlighted as a form of power exertion, where teachers or other authority figures impose their cultural norms onto students by altering their names. The video uses renaming as an example of how power dynamics can play out in educational settings.

💡Misnaming

Misnaming involves intentionally or unintentionally calling someone by the wrong name. In the video, misnaming is presented as a form of linguistic violence that can occur when teachers or others in positions of power fail to respect or acknowledge a student's correct name. This can be particularly harmful when it is done repeatedly, as it can make the student feel invisible or as if their identity is not valued.

💡D Naming

D naming is a term used in the video to describe the act of denying or disregarding a person's chosen or proper name. This can happen when someone refuses to use a person's name as they have identified it, often as a form of disrespect or an attempt to assert dominance. The video suggests that d naming can be a subtle but powerful form of linguistic violence.

💡Phonology

Phonology is the study of the sound systems of languages, including how sounds are produced, combined, and perceived. In the video, phonology is relevant to the discussion of indexical bleaching, as it involves the alteration of the phonetic properties of names to make them conform to the sound patterns of the dominant language. This can result in the loss of cultural and ethnic markers that are inherent in the original pronunciation of a name.

💡Ethno-racial Specificity

Ethno-racial specificity refers to the unique cultural and racial characteristics that define a particular group or individual. In the video, the concept is used to discuss how the mispronunciation or alteration of names can strip away these specific markers, leading to a loss of cultural identity. The video argues that preserving ethno-racial specificity in names is important for maintaining respect for diversity and individual heritage.

💡Injurious Speech

Injurious speech, as mentioned in the video and attributed to theorist Judith Butler, refers to language that causes harm by undermining a person's sense of self or place in society. The video connects this concept to the practice of misnaming, suggesting that when a person's name is disrespected or altered, it can be a form of injurious speech that inflicts psychological harm and reinforces power imbalances.

Highlights

Discusses the common issue of teachers mispronouncing students' names, especially those perceived as foreign or difficult.

References a comedy sketch to illustrate the humor in a black teacher mispronouncing white students' names.

Explores why mispronunciation of names is not funny in real-life situations, particularly for students with Spanish names.

Introduces the concept of 'indexical bleaching' as a technique of de-racialization in the context of misnaming.

Describes indexicals as signs that point to something, using the example of smoke indicating fire.

Analyzes how names can index meanings beyond the individual, such as gender, nationality, and formality.

Discusses the power dynamics between teachers and students, and how misnaming can position students as powerless.

Explains how anglicizing Spanish names can strip away ethno-racial meanings and identity.

Uses the example of the name 'Miguel' to show how names can index cultural and ethnic meanings.

Describes the personal impact of having one's name mispronounced and the feeling of cultural identity being stripped away.

Introduces the concept of 'linguistic violence' and 'injurious speech' in the context of misnaming.

Provides real-life examples of Latina youth in California public schools being renamed or misnamed.

Highlights the student experience of having to change their own name pronunciation to fit in at school.

Notes that misnaming is not limited to white teachers but can be perpetuated by anyone with structural power.

Discusses the power struggle over names in the classroom and how it reflects broader social dynamics.

Concludes by emphasizing the importance of names in identity and the注意到 that misnaming is a pattern that can affect a person's entire life.

Transcripts

welcome back party people mike here with

the social life of language and today

i'll be covering a chapter by mary

buckles called on being called out of

one's name indexical bleaching as a

technique of de-racialization found in

the edited volume called ratio

linguistics so today we're talking about

the very common occurrence of teachers

or faculty members

messing up the pronunciation of a

student's name especially if that name

is perceived as foreign or difficult to

pronounce immediately the author makes

reference to a skit from the comedy

sketch show k and peel which features a

black teacher from the inner city

totally butchering names of white

students i'm your substitute teacher mr

garvey

i taught school for 20 years in the

inner city let's take a roll here

jay quellan no j quellin here

do you mean jacqueline

okay

so that's how it's going to be

y'all want to play where is bolaca at my

name is blake

are you out of your goddamn mind

d nice

is there a d nice do you mean denise

okay so

this got me wondering why is this so

funny because this actually happens in

real life a lot notably when white

teachers butcher the name of students

with spanish language names and it's not

actually funny when it happens in real

life and sometimes students might not

even correct these teachers because

they've experienced this their entire

lives so some might just think that's

the way it is that's just how things are

done in school the perceived racial

makeup of the characters makes visible

things we might not otherwise see we got

a black teacher messing up the names of

white students that supposedly have

simple or american names but what's

really going on here let's find out

okay so in the united states

particularly with white english-speaking

teachers there's an overall acceptance

of the idea that these teachers don't

necessarily have to feel obligated to

try a little bit harder when pronouncing

their students names this is what makes

this skit so powerful because it inverts

a power hierarchy you have a black

substitute teacher who mispronounces all

the white students names because

teachers for better or worse are kind of

like unelected presidents they got a

whole lot of power over what goes on so

this chapter covers the practice of

renaming misnaming and d naming which

has the potential to position students

as completely powerless or as deviant or

as outside the norms of the classroom or

even american education and these kinds

of misnamings have the power to take

away from who you are as a person to

explain what's happening here our author

presents a theory she calls indexical

bleaching which in the context of this

article is about the practice of

anglicizing the names of latin x

students who have spanish language names

and these particular students want their

names to be pronounced in a

spanish-language phonology so maybe not

changing a last name like garcia to

garcia or martinez to martinez but to

really understand the process of

indexical bleaching we gotta know what

an indexical is or an index because if

we really understand what an indexical

is it makes the whole chapter really

easy to understand people and scholars

who study how meaning is produced and

how meaning

travels throughout the world are people

who are interested in the study of signs

or the field of semiotics now scholars

who are interested in studying signs

have named a few different kinds based

on what we perceive them to do but the

one we're talking about today is a sign

called an indexical or an index which is

a sign that points to something so just

remember index finger it points to

something it's a sign that points to a

meaning or a set of meanings so let's

start with a super easy example first

let's say we're driving along and then

we see smoke out in the distance when we

see smoke the smoke itself we can think

of it as a sign

pointing to fire we don't even have to

see the fire to know that smoke means

fire now we can also think of the

indexical aspect of people's names or

names potentially indexing meanings

meanings that go beyond the person the

name is referring to for example let's

think of what kinds of meanings might

become visible when we think about the

name mike the name mike points to a lot

of things aside from me for example mike

can point to gender because typically

mike is a boy's name it might also point

to meanings associated with americanness

because mike is a popular american name

it might also point to informality

because mike is usually a nickname for

michael so these are all meanings that

the name mike can potentially index

depending on who is interpreting the

name mike so all those meanings could

potentially be present or just maybe a

couple or maybe a few or maybe some

meanings aren't even known at all

depending on the person i might be

interacting with so in this sense some

meanings come all the way to the front

while other meanings are backgrounded

now let's think of mic in a different

context let's say i enter a formal space

people might switch to the name michael

to index or point to formality or they

might switch to michael to signal that

they don't feel like they know me well

enough to call me mike so you see my

name carries a lot of meanings meanings

much more complicated than just

referencing me mike the person names can

index entire social worlds entire

systems of beliefs but in this chapter

we're talking about spanish language

names or what kind of meanings might

come to the front when anglicizing a

spanish language name and then also what

kind of meanings might get pushed so far

into the background we can't even think

of them anymore let's do one more

example and we'll be ready to take on

the full keyword indexical bleaching now

what if my friend changes my name to

miguel so turning michael into its

spanish language version miguel can

suddenly index even more stuff even more

meanings for example miguel might

strongly point to my culture or

ethnicity or me being latinx or

mexican-american now what if somebody

pronounces my name miguel it matters who

is doing the pronouncing the context

matters because at home in south texas i

had a couple friends that would call me

miguel and they called me miguel because

they knew i had trouble speaking spanish

so miguel in english to my friends

indexed

ideas about americanness and friendship

and the fact that i primarily use

english so names can point to or index a

lot of stuff or like our author says

names are indexical forms with social

meanings that are intimately tied to the

context of their use hence a particular

name might simultaneously index such

sociocultural positionality as gender

generation ethnicity religion region

class kinship and more now let's keep

following the same example but change

the context again let's change it to an

institutional context like a classroom

where a teacher the unelected president

of the room changes my name to miguel

which i personally hear as wrong because

that teacher doesn't know me like that

that teacher stripped meanings that i am

proud of maybe my mexican-ness or using

our author's vocabulary that teacher

decided all on their own to bleach some

of the meanings that my name points to

they bleached some of the meanings that

my name indexes or we might call that

indexical bleaching damn that was smooth

that was smooth did you see see that

connection

nobody cares as the author notes

indexical bleaching may be used as a

technique of

de-racialization or the stripping of

contextually marked ethno-racial meaning

from an indexical form like a name so

again think of the way i felt when that

hypothetical teacher changed the

pronunciation of my name to miguel i

felt like all the cultural and ethnicity

stuff that i'm proud of was taken away

from me part of my identity was stripped

away often indexical bleaching involves

the literal reshaping of

marked names phonologically

orthographically and even lexically in

ways that reduce their ethno-racial

specificity so again my name was

reshaped in a way that reduces the

indexical meanings that i wanted there

that's my heritage as a mexican person

okay so maybe i'm being a little bit

oversensitive i'll give you a real

example having to do with my name when i

was in grad school in new york i

remember the first time someone

pronounced my last name correctly

after three years of being misnamed

people usually pronounce my last name

mena as mina now i generally don't care

too much

i mean like usually but when my name was

finally pronounced in spanish at my

university as mena it was the first time

in a long time that i felt like a

mexican american from south texas i did

not realize that the sound of my name

had so much meaning or how the sound of

my name

indexed my identity my family my home my

culture and for those three years i had

kind of just forgotten what my name

sounded like and then when that

professor durian roll call actually

pronounced my name as mike mena it was

startling it sounded like me as a person

so names are powerful things and have no

doubt names can make you feel powerless

have you ever been in a situation where

a person calls you the wrong name how

does that make you feel probably awkward

how about if a superior at work calls

you the wrong name repeatedly or that

boss calls you the wrong name in front

of other co-workers you might actually

feel pretty powerless in that situation

names can actually make power visible

which is why our author describes

certain kinds of misnamings as

linguistic violence and also cites

another theorist named judith butler who

calls this injurious speech butler says

to be injured by speech is to suffer a

loss of context that is not to know

where you are one can be put in one's

place by such speech but such place may

be no place so a boss getting your name

wrong would definitely put you in your

place as in an inferior position at work

after all you probably would make damn

sure that you don't mess up your

superior's name so getting to a couple

examples from the chapter this chapter

focuses on latina youth in a california

public school where they are often

renamed denamed or misnamed and there

are three examples in the chapter one

example was a recording of a group of

students talking to each other and they

discussed having to change their own

accents for the people that they were

speaking to at school for example one

student wants to pronounce their last

name as gutierrez but then says that

they won't understand it so she has to

change it so she feels like she has to

change her own name to gutierrez the

other students in this group had very

similar experiences they too had to

shift the pronunciation of their own

name to accommodate someone in their

school this is actually a problem that

goes far beyond just anglo teachers or

white identified teachers it's actually

a very common occurrence for latinx

people in public schools in the united

states however we should also note as

the author says and although i have

focused primarily on how misnaming is

wielded by whites against other

racialized groups

this act can be perpetuated by anyone

who benefits from structural power

on the basis of race class language and

or citizenship although we can also note

that it just so happens that when white

identified persons

really

mangle somebody's name

they tend to get away with it with

almost total immunity it appears to be

just the way things are but notice that

did not happen in the kmpl skit the fact

that every white student complained is

part of what made this skit so absurd is

there a d nice

do you mean denise say right denise

correctly denise right denise right

d nice that's better thank you where is

a-a-ron right now

yeah oh man

why didn't you answer me the first time

i said it huh because it's pronounced

aaron

imagine if this was a room full of

mexican-american kids with a white

teacher it's interesting that i can't

even imagine a scenario where this would

happen where the latinx students would

complain so we should be reminded that

context matters and that names can be

sites of power struggle especially if

the context includes people from vastly

differing social positions in society

like maybe one student will talk back to

a teacher but maybe a student that's a

recent immigrant just trying to fit in

and trying to respect their elders and

trying to learn english they probably

won't say anything to this misnaming and

then that misnaming slowly becomes a

pattern that happens throughout their

whole lives which then reproduces the

idea that that's just the way things are

done in the united states after all this

is america and we speak english etc etc

but you know what just because things

are historically done a certain way that

doesn't mean that marginalized and

racialized people

don't notice it's happening over and

over and over again we notice

trust me well that's all for today folks

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this is mike with the social life of

language

and we're done