Who counts as a speaker of a language? | Anna Babel

Summary

The script explores the complex relationship between language and social identity through the Tower of Babel narrative. It discusses how language proficiency doesn't always equate to self-identification as a speaker and the challenges faced by bilingual individuals. The speaker, a Spanish professor, shares research findings that show how social perceptions influence language understanding, including her own children's experiences with language assessment. The talk concludes with a call to question our biases and assumptions about language and social categories.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The Tower of Babel story symbolizes how language diversity can lead to perceived divisions and conflicts among people.
• 🗣️ Language proficiency doesn't always equate to self-identification as a speaker of that language, as seen with advanced Spanish students.
• 👶 Age of language acquisition affects how individuals perceive their language skills, with some second-generation speakers feeling less proficient.
• 🏡 Bilingualism is often misunderstood, as people expect bilinguals to be two monolinguals in one, rather than recognizing language specialization.
• 👀 Perceptions of language are influenced by social categories, as shown by a study where listeners' expectations affected their understanding of speech.
• 📊 Research across different countries consistently shows that social biases can alter the way language is perceived and understood.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The speaker's personal experience with her children highlights the real-world impact of language and social categorization on education and identity.
• 🏢 Language tests may not accurately measure proficiency but could reflect socioeconomic factors or exposure to certain language varieties.
• 🎓 The speaker's son's experience with an English test underscores potential biases in language assessment and the importance of recognizing diverse dialects.
• 🤔 The speaker encourages questioning assumptions about language and social categories to avoid perpetuating harmful biases and stereotypes.

Q & A

What is the Tower of Babel story and what does it symbolize in terms of language and social groups?

The Tower of Babel story is a biblical narrative where people united to build a tower to reach the heavens, speaking a common language. God, displeased by their arrogance, scattered them across the earth and made them speak different languages. This story symbolizes the idea that speaking different languages can lead to division and conflict, while a common language signifies unity and cooperation.

How does the speaker's experience as a Spanish professor at Ohio State influence her perspective on language and identity?

As a Spanish professor, the speaker observes that her students, despite being proficient in Spanish, often do not identify as Spanish speakers. This experience highlights the complexity of language identity and challenges the notion that language proficiency alone determines one's identity as a speaker of a language.

What is the common misconception about bilingualism that the speaker addresses?

The speaker addresses the misconception that being a good bilingual means being two monolinguals in one body. Instead, she explains that it is more common for bilinguals to specialize in using one language in one context and another in a different context.

How does the speaker's research in Bolivia demonstrate the influence of social categories on language perception?

The speaker's research in Bolivia shows that listeners' perceptions of speech are influenced by the social categories they associate with the speakers. In an experiment, listeners heard the same speech but perceived it differently based on whether they believed the speaker was a Quechua or a typical Spanish speaker.

What is the significance of the study where listeners were told different backgrounds of the speakers they were listening to?

The study's significance lies in demonstrating that the social identity of speakers can alter how listeners perceive and interpret language, even when the speech itself remains unchanged. This highlights the powerful role of social bias in shaping our understanding of language.

How do social categories affect language comprehension according to the studies mentioned in the script?

Studies mentioned in the script show that social categories can significantly affect language comprehension. For example, students who saw an Asian face associated with a lecture perceived it as less clear than those who saw a Caucasian face, despite listening to the same recording.

What was the unexpected outcome of the speaker's children's ESL placement exams, and why was it surprising?

The speaker's children scored as non-native English speakers on their ESL placement exams, which was surprising because they were native speakers and used English fluently in their daily lives. This outcome was unexpected and raised questions about the accuracy of the tests in assessing language proficiency.

Why did the teacher's explanation of the speaker's son's test results catch the speaker's attention as a linguist?

The teacher's explanation caught the speaker's attention because it identified a grammatical structure that the son used, which was attributed to non-native English speakers. However, the speaker knew that this structure is part of 'African-American English,' a rule-governed dialect, indicating a misinterpretation of the son's language skills.

What concerns does the speaker express about the long-term effects of racial profiling and language bias on individuals?

The speaker expresses concerns that racial profiling and language bias, even when unintentional, can have long-reaching effects on individuals' lives, such as impacting their educational and professional opportunities, and potentially leading to systemic discrimination.

How does the speaker suggest we should approach the question of who counts as a speaker of a language?

The speaker suggests that we should approach the question of who counts as a speaker of a language with an understanding that people are pattern seekers and often project biases onto language. She encourages questioning assumptions and reflecting on the complex links between language and social categories.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 The Tower of Babel and Language Identity

The speaker begins with the story of the Tower of Babel to illustrate how language diversity is often associated with conflict and separation. They delve into the complexities of language and social identity, challenging the notion that language proficiency alone defines one's identity as a speaker. The speaker, a Spanish professor, shares an anecdote about their students' reluctance to identify as Spanish speakers despite their fluency, suggesting that language identity is influenced by more than just linguistic ability. They also discuss the concept of bilingualism, noting that it is not about being two monolinguals in one but rather about specialization and context-based language use. The speaker's research in Bolivia highlights how social categories can affect language perception, showing that listeners' expectations based on ethnic stereotypes can alter their understanding of speech.

05:01

🏫 The Impact of Social Categories on Language Perception

This paragraph explores how social categories influence our perception of language. The speaker references studies from various countries, including the United States and New Zealand, where listeners' preconceived notions about speakers' backgrounds affected their interpretation of language. They share a personal experience with their children, who were tested for English language proficiency despite being native speakers. The results of these tests were influenced by the children's exposure to different dialects and the cultural context of their school, which led to misinterpretations of their language skills. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing the biases that can be projected onto language and the need to question assumptions about what it means to be a proficient speaker.

10:04

🚸 The Future of Language and Identity

In the final paragraph, the speaker contemplates the long-term effects of racial profiling and language bias on children's lives as they grow up and enter various social settings, such as schools, workplaces, and interviews. They express concern about how initial judgments based on appearance or accent might impact opportunities and perceptions of competence. The speaker calls for a reflection on the connections between language, social categories, and identity, urging listeners to question their assumptions and recognize the complexities involved in defining language proficiency and identity.

Keywords

💡Tower of Babel

The Tower of Babel is a biblical story that illustrates the diversity of languages as a consequence of human pride and ambition. In the video, it is used as an introduction to the theme of language and social identity, suggesting that the story has influenced how we perceive language differences and their impact on unity and conflict.

💡Linguists

Linguists are scholars who study the structure, development, and use of language. The video mentions modern linguists to highlight their understanding of the complex relationship between language and social categories, contrasting with the simplistic views presented in the Tower of Babel narrative.

💡Bilingualism

Bilingualism refers to the ability to speak two languages fluently. The video discusses the misconception that a good bilingual is like two monolinguals in one body, emphasizing that bilinguals often specialize in using different languages in different contexts, which challenges the traditional view of bilingualism.

💡Social Categories

Social categories are groups of people defined by shared characteristics such as ethnicity, language, or culture. The video explores how these categories influence language perception, as seen in the study where listeners' expectations about a speaker's ethnicity affected their interpretation of speech sounds.

💡Language Proficiency

Language proficiency refers to the degree of competence in a language. The video uses the example of the speaker's children taking an ESL placement exam to critique standardized tests, suggesting that they may measure social factors rather than actual language skills.

💡African-American English

African-American English is a group of dialects spoken primarily in African-American communities. The video points out that it is a systematic and rule-governed variety of English, challenging the assumption that deviations from standard English are indicative of non-native or deficient language use.

💡Languagelessness

Languagelessness is a state where individuals do not feel fully comfortable or proficient in any language. The video describes children who speak Spanish at home and English in school feeling like they don't speak either language well, illustrating the emotional and social impact of language proficiency expectations.

💡Quechua

Quechua is an indigenous people and language group in South America. The video uses Quechua speakers as an example to discuss how language variation can be perceived differently based on social categories, showing that listeners' perceptions of speech are influenced by their assumptions about the speaker's ethnicity.

💡Ethnicity

Ethnicity refers to a group of people who identify with each other based on common cultural or ancestral heritage. The video discusses how the ethnicity of speakers, such as Quechua people, can affect how their language is perceived and understood by others.

💡Assumptions

Assumptions are presuppositions or beliefs that are taken for granted. The video highlights how assumptions about language and social categories can lead to biased interpretations of language use, as seen in the study where listeners' expectations about a speaker's ethnicity influenced their perception of speech sounds.

💡Racial Profiling

Racial profiling is the act of using race or ethnicity as a factor in decision-making, often leading to discrimination. The video discusses the speaker's concern about their children being racially profiled as non-native English speakers, which could have long-term consequences on their educational and professional opportunities.

Highlights

The Tower of Babel story illustrates the historical belief that language differences lead to conflict and separation.

Modern linguists understand the relationship between language and social categories to be intricate and complex.

Language proficiency does not necessarily equate to self-identification as a speaker of that language.

The age at which a language is learned can impact an individual's sense of language ownership.

Bilingualism is often misunderstood as needing to be two monolinguals in one body, rather than the more common specialization of language use.

Language perception is influenced by social categories and expectations.

A study in Bolivia showed that listeners' perceptions of language are affected by the speaker's perceived ethnicity.

Similar studies in the United States, Canada, and New Zealand have found that social categories impact language understanding.

A study with American college students showed that perceived ethnicity of a lecturer affected students' comprehension of a lecture.

Language tests may not accurately measure proficiency but could reflect other factors such as home resources.

The speaker's children's experience with language testing revealed potential biases in educational assessments.

The concept of 'African-American English' as a rule-governed variety was highlighted in the context of language assessment.

Children's language acquisition can be influenced by their social environment, including school and peer groups.

The speaker raises concerns about the long-term effects of racial profiling and language bias on individuals' lives.

The importance of questioning assumptions about language and social categories was emphasized.

The speaker concludes with a call to reflect on the connections between language and social categories to avoid biases.

Transcripts

Transcriber: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Camille Martínez

People say that a long, long time ago,

everybody on earth spoke the same language

and belonged to the same tribe.

And I guess people had a little too much time on their hands,

because they decided they were going to work together

to become as great as God.

So they started to build a tower up into the heavens.

God saw this and was angry,

and to punish the people for their arrogance,

God destroyed the tower

and scattered the people to the ends of the earth

and made them all speak different languages.

This is the story of the Tower of Babel,

and it's probably not a literal historical truth,

but it does tell us something

about the way that we understand languages and speakers.

So for one thing, we often think about speaking different languages

as meaning that we don't get along or maybe we're in conflict,

and speaking the same language as meaning that we belong to the same group

and that we can work together.

Modern linguists know

that the relationship between language and social categories

is intricate and complex,

and we bring a lot of baggage to the way that we understand language,

to the point that even a seemingly simple question,

like, "What makes a person a speaker of a language?"

can turn out to be really, really complicated.

I'm a Spanish professor at Ohio State.

I teach mostly upper-level courses,

where the students have taken four to five years

of university-level Spanish courses.

So students who are in my class speak Spanish with me all semester long.

They listen to me speak in Spanish. They turn in written work in Spanish.

And yet, when I asked my students at the beginning of the semester,

"Who considers themselves a Spanish speaker?"

not very many of them raise their hands.

So you can be a really, really good speaker of a language

and still not consider yourself a language speaker.

Maybe it's not just about how well you speak a language.

Maybe it's also about what age you start learning that language.

But when we look at kids who speak Spanish at home

but mostly English at work or in school,

they often feel like they don't speak either language really well.

They sometimes feel like they exist in a state of languagelessness,

because they don't feel fully comfortable in Spanish at school,

and they don't feel fully comfortable in English at home.

We have this really strong idea that in order to be a good bilingual,

we have to be two monolinguals in one body.

But linguists know that's not really how bilingualism works.

It's actually much more common for people to specialize,

to use one language in one place and another language in another place.

Now, it's not always only about how we see ourselves.

It can also be about how other people see us.

I do my research in Bolivia,

which is a country in South America.

And in Bolivia, as in the United States,

there are different social groups and different ethnic categories.

One of those ethnic categories is a group known as Quechua,

who are Indigenous people.

And people who are Quechua speak Spanish a little bit differently

than your run-of-the-mill Spanish speaker.

In particular, there are some sounds that sound a little bit more alike

when many Quechua speakers use them.

So a colleague and I designed a study

where we took a series of very similar-sounding word pairs,

and they were similar-sounding in exactly the same sorts of ways

that Quechua speakers often sound similar when they speak Spanish.

We played those similar-sounding word pairs to a group of listeners,

and we told half of the listeners that they were going to listen

to just your normal run-of-the-mill Spanish speaker

and the other half of the listeners that they were going to hear a Quechua speaker.

Everybody heard the same recording,

but what we found was that people who thought they were listening

to a run-of-the-mill Spanish speaker

made clear differences between the word pairs,

and people who thought they were listening to a Quechua speaker

really didn't seem to make clear differences.

So if a visual would help,

here are the results of our study.

What you see here in the top line is a little bit of an arch.

That's what you would expect

from people who are making clear differences between the word pairs,

and that's what you see for people

who though they were listening to a Spanish speaker.

What you see on the bottom is a little bit more of a flat line,

and that's what we expect to see

when people are not making clear differences,

and that came from the group that thought they were listening to a Quechua speaker.

Now, since nothing about the recording changed,

that means that it was the social categories that we gave the listeners

that changed the way they perceived language.

This isn't just some funny thing that only happens in Bolivia.

Research has been carried out in the United States,

in Canada, in New Zealand,

showing exactly the same thing.

We incorporate social categories into our understanding of language.

There have even been studies carried out with American college students

who listen to a university lecture.

Half of the students were shown a picture of a Caucasian face

as the instructor.

Half of the students were shown a picture of an Asian face

as the instructor.

And students who saw the Asian face

reported that the lecture was less clear and harder to understand,

even though everybody listened to the same recording.

So social categories really influence the way that we understand language.

And this is an issue that became especially personal to me

when my children started school.

My children are Latino,

and we speak Spanish at home,

but they speak mostly English with their friends out in the world,

with their grandparents.

When they started school,

I was told that the district requires

that any household that has a member who speaks a language other than English,

the children have to be tested

to see if they need English as a second language services.

And I was like, "Yes! My kids are going to ace this test."

But that's not what happened.

So you can see behind me the results from my daughter's ESL placement exam.

She got a perfect five out of five for comprehension,

for reading and listening.

But she only got three out of five for speaking and writing.

And I was like, "This is really weird,

because this kid talks my ear off all the time."

(Laughter)

But I figured it's just one test on one day, and it's not a big deal.

Until, several years later, my son started school,

and my son also scored as a non-native speaker of English

on the exam.

And I was like, "This is really weird,

and it doesn't seem like a coincidence."

So I sent a note in to the teacher,

and she was very kind.

She sent me a long message explaining why he had been placed in this way.

Some of the things that she said really caught my attention.

For one thing, she said that even a native speaker of English

might not score at advanced level

on this test,

depending on what kinds of resource and enrichment they were getting at home.

Now, this tells me that the test wasn't doing a great job

of measuring English proficiency,

but it may have been measuring something like how much resources

kids are exposed to at home,

in which case, those kids need different types of support at school.

They really don't need English language assistance.

Another thing that she mentioned caught my attention as a linguist.

She said that she had asked my son to repeat the sentence,

"Who has Jane's pencil?"

And he repeated, "Who has Jane pencil?"

She said this is a typical error made by a non-native English-speaking student

whose native language does not contain a similar structure for possessives.

The reason this caught my attention

is because I know

that there is a systematic, rule-governed variety of English

in which this possessive construction is completely grammatical.

That variety is known to linguists as "African-American English."

And African-American English is actually group of dialects

that's spoken across the United States,

mostly in African-American communities.

But it just so happens that my son's school

is about 60 percent African-American.

And we know that at this age,

children are picking things up from their friends,

they're experimenting with language,

they're using it in different contexts.

I think when the teacher saw my son,

she didn't see a child who she expected to speak African-American English.

And so instead of evaluating him as a child who was natively acquiring

multiple dialects of English,

she evaluated him as a child whose standard English was deficient.

Language and social categories are intricately connected,

and we bring so much baggage to the way that we understand language.

When you ask me a question like,

"Who counts as a speaker of a language?"

I don't really have a simple answer to that question.

But what I can tell you

is that people are pattern seekers,

and we're always looking for ways to connect the dots

between different types of information.

This can be a problem

when our underlying biases are projected onto language.

When I look at children like my own,

and I see them in the gentlest and most well-meaning of ways

being racially profiled as non-native speakers of English,

it makes me wonder:

What's going to happen

as they move from elementary school

onto high school and college and onto their first jobs?

When they walk into an interview,

will the person sitting across the table from them

look at their color or their last name

and hear them as speaking with a Spanish accent

or as speaking bad English?

These are the kinds of judgments that can have long-reaching effects

on people's lives.

So I hope that that person, just like you,

will have reflected on the naturalized links

between language and social categories

and will have questioned their assumptions about what it really means

to be a speaker of a language.

Thank you.

(Applause)