"Soft" Linguistic Terrorism: A Theory (Mena, 2023)

Summary

In this video, Mike explores the concept of 'soft linguistic terrorism,' an updated take on Gloria Anzaldúa's 1980s theory of linguistic terrorism. The discussion delves into the subtle yet pervasive forms of linguistic discrimination faced by Latinos in the U.S., moving from physical punishment to more covert methods like ideological recruitment and incentivization. Mike's personal narrative illustrates how these practices have spanned generations, from his mother's experiences to his own role as a teacher, perpetuating a cycle of racial and linguistic trauma. The video challenges viewers to consider the insidious nature of soft power in language and its impact on cultural identity.

Takeaways

• 📚 The video discusses an updated version of 'linguistic terrorism', a concept originally developed by Gloria Anzaldúa in the 1980s to describe racist attacks on Latino linguistic practices.
• 🏫 Historically, Latino students were physically punished for speaking Spanish in schools, a practice that has evolved into more subtle forms of linguistic discrimination.
• 🌐 The term 'soft linguistic terrorism' is used to describe contemporary, less overt methods of discrimination that still aim to suppress non-dominant languages and cultures.
• 🔄 The video draws parallels between 'soft power' in international relations and the softer, yet still impactful, forms of linguistic terrorism.
• 👥 The script highlights the insidious nature of 'soft Terror', which operates through ideological recruitment and incentivization rather than direct punishment.
• 👩‍🏫 The speaker shares a personal narrative involving three generations affected by linguistic terrorism, illustrating how its effects can span decades and generations.
• 🏛️ The video critiques the enforcement of 'standard language' as a colonial and white supremacist fantasy, arguing that it's an unrealistic and unattainable ideal.
• 🎓 The speaker's experience as a teacher reflects how soft linguistic terrorism can be perpetuated unintentionally through well-meaning but misguided actions.
• 🌟 The script challenges the notion that valuing a language while devaluing its speakers represents progress, suggesting it may be a form of soft linguistic terrorism.
• 🔗 The video connects the dots between individual experiences, institutional policies, and broader societal attitudes to show how linguistic terrorism is a systemic issue.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is 'soft linguistic terrorism,' an updated concept based on Gloria Anzaldúa's theory of linguistic terrorism from the 1980s, which discusses the subtle and indirect forms of linguistic discrimination against Latinos in the United States.

What is the difference between 'old school linguistic terrorism' and 'soft linguistic terrorism'?

Old school linguistic terrorism involved direct punishment or the threat of punishment for non-standard language use, such as hitting students for speaking Spanish. Soft linguistic terrorism, on the other hand, operates through ideological recruitment and incentivization, where individuals are subtly encouraged or rewarded to adopt the dominant language norms without overt punishment.

How does the concept of 'soft power' relate to 'soft linguistic terrorism'?

The concept of 'soft power' is used as an analogy to explain 'soft linguistic terrorism.' While 'soft power' refers to indirect means of influencing others (like economic leverage or intelligence sharing), 'soft linguistic terrorism' refers to the subtle, non-violent methods used to enforce linguistic norms, which can be just as effective as the direct methods of old school linguistic terrorism.

What is the role of 'ideological recruitment' in soft linguistic terrorism?

Ideological recruitment in soft linguistic terrorism involves the process where individuals are subtly encouraged to adopt the dominant linguistic norms without direct coercion. This can happen through socialization within a family, education system, or society, where the dominant norms are presented as the standard, leading individuals to accept and internalize these norms.

Can you explain the 'incentivization' process mentioned in the script?

Incentivization in the context of soft linguistic terrorism is the process of offering rewards or benefits to individuals who conform to the dominant linguistic norms. This could include academic recognition, job opportunities, or social acceptance, which motivates individuals to adopt the preferred language practices.

What is the significance of the multigenerational effects discussed in the script?

The multigenerational effects discussed in the script highlight how experiences of linguistic terrorism can span across generations, influencing the linguistic practices and identities of families and communities. It shows how past experiences of linguistic terrorism can lead to long-lasting effects, even when the direct forms of punishment are no longer present.

How does the script connect the personal experiences of the speaker to the broader concept of linguistic terrorism?

The script connects the personal experiences of the speaker to the broader concept of linguistic terrorism by illustrating how the speaker's mother's experiences with old school linguistic terrorism influenced the speaker's upbringing and language practices. This personal narrative is then used to explore how soft linguistic terrorism operates and perpetuates racial and linguistic trauma across generations.

What is the role of education in perpetuating soft linguistic terrorism according to the script?

According to the script, education plays a significant role in perpetuating soft linguistic terrorism by reinforcing the value of dominant linguistic norms and often incentivizing students to adopt these norms for academic and social success. Educators may unintentionally contribute to this process by promoting the idea that proficiency in the dominant language is necessary for success.

How does the script challenge the notion of 'standard language'?

The script challenges the notion of 'standard language' by arguing that the idea of a perfect or standard language is a colonial, white supremacist fantasy. It suggests that the enforcement of such an ideal is a key element of linguistic terrorism, as it perpetuates the idea that non-dominant linguistic practices are inferior or deficient.

What is the significance of the shift from old school linguistic terrorism to soft linguistic terrorism in the context of the University mentioned in the script?

The shift from old school linguistic terrorism to soft linguistic terrorism at the University mentioned in the script signifies an evolution in the methods used to enforce linguistic norms. While the old methods were more overtly violent and punitive, the newer methods are more subtle and may involve ideological recruitment and incentivization. This shift also reflects a change in societal attitudes towards language and discrimination.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Soft Linguistic Terrorism

The video, sponsored by Educational Linguistics, introduces the concept of 'soft linguistic terrorism,' an updated theory to Gloria Anzaldúa's 1980s concept of linguistic terrorism. Anzaldúa's theory was a framework for understanding racist attacks on Latino linguistic practices, such as physical punishment for speaking Spanish. The video discusses the evolution from overt physical punishment to more subtle, 'soft' forms of linguistic control, drawing parallels with the concept of 'soft power' in international relations. The aim is to explore how these newer, less overt forms of linguistic terrorism continue to have insidious effects on racial and linguistic identities.

05:01

🌐 The Evolution of Linguistic Terrorism

This section delves into the historical context of linguistic terrorism, highlighting the shift from direct physical punishment to more subtle forms of control. It discusses the concept of 'deficiency' often associated with Mexican and Mexican-American communities, suggesting that the ideal of a 'standard' language is a colonial and white supremacist fantasy. The video emphasizes that while overt discrimination is now less socially acceptable, discrimination against language use persists, and the enforcement of a monolingual English norm continues to be a form of linguistic terrorism.

10:02

🏡 Multigenerational Effects of Soft Linguistic Terrorism

The narrative explores the personal and familial experiences of linguistic terrorism across generations. The speaker's mother, raised in South Texas, experienced 'old school' linguistic terrorism through physical punishment for speaking Spanish. This led to the creation of an English-dominant household, inadvertently recruiting the speaker into white American linguistic norms. The speaker, as a teacher, further perpetuated 'soft' linguistic terrorism by incentivizing English language proficiency as a path to success, thus continuing the cycle of linguistic and racial trauma across generations.

15:05

👨‍🏫 The Role of Education in Linguistic Terrorism

This part of the video focuses on the speaker's personal journey as a teacher in South Texas, where he unknowingly continued the cycle of linguistic terrorism. Despite good intentions, he encouraged students to prioritize English over Spanish, reinforcing the idea that English monolingualism was essential for success. The video suggests that educators, often socialized into white norms, may unintentionally perpetuate linguistic discrimination, highlighting the complexity of soft linguistic terrorism and its multigenerational impact.

20:06

🏛️ Institutionalizing Linguistic Terrorism

The final section broadens the discussion to include institutional actors and policies that contribute to linguistic terrorism. It examines language policies and educational practices that stigmatize non-English languages, suggesting that even in institutions that claim to value bilingualism, the underlying devaluation of non-white linguistic practices can constitute a form of soft linguistic terrorism. The video concludes by emphasizing the need to challenge and change institutional processes that reinforce racial and linguistic hierarchies.

Keywords

💡Linguistic Terrorism

Linguistic terrorism refers to the systematic oppression and punishment of individuals for using languages or dialects that deviate from societal norms, particularly those associated with marginalized groups. In the video, the speaker references Gloria Anzaldúa's 1980s theory, which analyzed how Latinos in the U.S. were punished for speaking Spanish. The concept is key to understanding the video's argument that while overt forms of linguistic oppression (like physical punishment) have softened, more insidious forms of control still persist.

💡Soft Power

Soft power is the use of indirect methods, such as cultural influence or economic pressure, to exert control without direct force. The video draws a parallel between this concept and the evolution of linguistic terrorism, where physical punishment has been replaced by more subtle methods like ideological recruitment and incentivization, yet the ultimate goal—enforcing language norms—remains the same.

💡Ideological Recruitment

Ideological recruitment refers to the process of persuading individuals to adopt certain beliefs or norms without explicit coercion. In the context of linguistic terrorism, this occurs when marginalized groups are encouraged to internalize white linguistic standards. The speaker shares a personal experience, describing how growing up in an English-only household ideologically recruited him into believing in the superiority of monolingualism.

💡Incentivization

Incentivization is the practice of offering rewards or benefits for adopting certain behaviors or beliefs. In the video, the speaker explains how English monolingualism was incentivized for him through academic success and social acceptance. This method replaces the older, harsher punishments of 'old school' linguistic terrorism, making linguistic conformity seem appealing.

💡Old School Terror

Old school terror refers to the direct, often violent enforcement of linguistic norms, such as physically punishing students for speaking a language like Spanish. The speaker's mother experienced this form of punishment in South Texas, where students were hit for speaking Spanish in school. This contrasts with the 'soft terror' of today, which uses less visible means to achieve the same result.

💡Soft Terror

Soft terror refers to the modern, subtler forms of linguistic terrorism, where physical violence has been replaced with ideological control and incentivization. Though less visible, the speaker argues that soft terror has the same effect as old school terror: enforcing white American monolingualism and linguistic conformity. Examples include the speaker’s experience being rewarded for speaking only English and his later role as a teacher promoting English as the language of success.

💡Monolingualism

Monolingualism is the practice of using only one language. In the U.S., English monolingualism has been idealized as the norm, especially within white American culture. The video critiques this ideology, suggesting that the enforcement of monolingualism is a form of linguistic terrorism aimed at erasing the linguistic practices of marginalized groups, like Spanish-speaking Mexican-Americans.

💡White Behavioral Norms

White behavioral norms refer to societal standards and behaviors associated with white, Anglo-American culture, particularly English monolingualism. The video explores how these norms are enforced through linguistic terrorism, both old and new. The speaker highlights how his upbringing and later actions as a teacher contributed to the perpetuation of these norms, often under the guise of helping students succeed.

💡Multigenerational Effects

Multigenerational effects refer to how the impacts of linguistic terrorism extend across multiple generations. In the video, the speaker discusses how his mother’s experience of old school terror (physical punishment for speaking Spanish) influenced her decision to raise him in an English-only household, and how this, in turn, affected his own views on language. This highlights how linguistic trauma is passed down through families, perpetuating the cycle of linguistic oppression.

💡Standard Language

Standard language refers to the idea of a 'pure' or 'perfect' language form, often linked to colonialism and white supremacy. The video critiques this notion, arguing that the enforcement of standard language (in this case, English) is a key tool of linguistic terrorism. The speaker emphasizes that the concept of a perfect language user is a fantasy, used to justify discrimination against non-standard language speakers.

Highlights

The video discusses an updated version of Gloria Anzaldúa's theory of linguistic terrorism, focusing on 21st-century rearticulations.

Linguistic terrorism is analyzed through the lens of 'soft power', comparing it to military and economic strategies.

The video contrasts old school linguistic terrorism, involving physical punishment, with newer, softer forms.

The term 'soft' in linguistic terrorism does not imply gentleness but refers to indirect, institutional methods.

The video explores the routine nature of linguistic terrorism, emphasizing its everyday, insidious effects.

Aneloa's concept of 'intimate terrorism' is introduced, illustrating the normalization of terror in everyday life.

The video challenges the notion of a 'standard' or 'perfect' language, calling it a colonial white supremacist fantasy.

The enforcement of an idealized English language is identified as a key element of linguistic terrorism.

The video presents a personal narrative linking three generations affected by linguistic terrorism.

Ideological recruitment and incentivization are highlighted as processes of soft linguistic terrorism.

The video discusses the role of education in perpetuating linguistic terrorism through rewards and punishments.

The concept of 'appearance of consent' is introduced to explain how soft linguistic terrorism operates.

The video examines the multigenerational effects of soft linguistic terrorism, spanning decades and generations.

The narrative includes the speaker's own complicity as an educator in perpetuating soft linguistic terrorism.

The video concludes by questioning the progress made by a university's bilingual policy, suggesting it might be a form of soft linguistic terrorism.

The importance of recognizing the institutional processes behind linguistic terrorism is emphasized.

The video calls for a broader understanding of linguistic terrorism that includes both human and non-human actors.

Transcripts

this video is sponsored by educational

Linguistics your new Premier Source for

Cutting Edge research on all things

language and education welcome back

Party People Mike here with a social

life of language and today we'll be

covering an article that I wrote

entitled soft linguistic terrorism 21st

century rearticulations I also created

an audiobook version of the article read

by Yours Truly link is at the top as the

title suggests this is an update to

Gloria an sala's theory of linguistic

terrorism that she developed back in the

1980s which was a lens to analyze racist

attacks on the linguistic practices of

Latinos in the United States now when

analua was a child teachers were allowed

to hit students for speaking Spanish and

the pain and embarrassment were the

point of such punishment now today we're

usually not allowed to hit children so

the disciplinary methods appear softer

but by Soft I don't necessarily mean

that the new forms of linguistic

terrorism are more gentle instead I'm

using the word soft similar to the way

we use it in the phrase soft power so

what's soft power a couple good examples

of soft power might include the times

when the United States refuses to enter

a war directly but instead we might try

to undermine the enemy country by

sharing our military intelligence with

other countries or maybe we'll try to

bankrupt the enemy country through

economic leverage both of those examples

are different versions of soft power but

importantly whether we directly invade

with troops or we indirectly attempt to

bankrupt a country the end goal is the

same to win the war now in a similar

sense there are differences between

direct methods of old school linguistic

terrorism and and the indirect methods

of newer softer linguistic terrorism

clearly we are not in the era where you

could just physically strike children or

tell them that they're stupid Mexicans

times have changed and we're adapting

with softer forms of racism but the

effects of soft Terror are just as

Insidious if not identical to the

effects of old school linguistic

terrorism so what do these newer and

updated forms of soft Terror look like

let's find

out so first let's briefly review what

analua meant by linguistic terrorism

back in the 1980s and I want to focus on

one crucial aspect and that is the realm

of routine it's really easy to think of

terrorist acts as something spectacular

or these events that are high highly

visible but analua was also thinking of

the stuff that you don't see the stuff

that Fades into the background the basic

routine of life in anel dua's

Borderlands book but a few pages before

her famous chapter how to tame a wild

tongue analua described what she called

intimate terrorism or the experience of

being a woman in a male-dominated

society where women become teed where

any little might result in a public

shaming from a father or perhaps a

beating from an abusive husband so here

anal was describing the constant and

routine state of vulnerability where

punishment or the threat of punishment

defines your reality eventually this

survival Behavior becomes routine

meaning living in this state of Terror

was so routine so ordinary that you as

an says you drink it with your morning

coffee similarly the way intimate

terrorism tamed Chana women linguistic

terrorism was meant to tame the wild

tongue and the wild tongue stood for all

linguistic practices that fell outside

of white American linguistic Norms which

to this day continues to be based on

this idea this fantasy of a standard or

perfect or pure academic language more

specifically this idealized English

language monolingualism has been

positioned as the norm in the United

States now while it might sound extreme

to hit students in front of the class

back then in the 60s and 70s that was

routine for Mexicans and

mexican-americans in the United States

not too long ago it was believed by many

miseducated teachers that

bilingualism caused cognitive deficiency

and that's a side key word for this

video deficiency or the idea that

Mexicans are always lacking something

things like Parental Guidance or

morality or good hygiene or intelligence

etc etc Mexicans and mexican-americans

were always perceived as deficient think

about it if your perfect linguistic

ideal is based on the fantasy of a

supposed perfect way to use language

that idealized Perfection is impossible

to reach because it doesn't exist there

is no such thing as a perfect or

standard language user and there's

definitely no such thing as a perfect

standard or pure language I'll say it

bluntly here standard language is a

colonial white supremacist fantasy I

even made a whole video called debunking

standard language I'll put the link in

the upper corner but to make a long

story short the enforcement of the

standard perfect language fantasy is a

crucial element to linguistic terrorism

especially because nowadays you aren't

allowed to discriminate against entire

groups of people but it's totally okay

to discriminate against how people use

language so Gloria analua developed

linguistic terrorism theory in the

Borderlands of South Texas in

the 1980s where she attended panamerican

college now flash forward to the 2020s

and I happen to be conducting research

in the same South Texas region and at

the same University although nowadays

it's called the University of Texas real

Grandy Valley while doing the research

something emerged that I thought was

really important I wanted to show that

while the actual punishment techniques

have mutated into softer forms the

actual effects of the newer softer

linguistic terrorism are virtually

identical to the old school linguistic

terrorism that anal Dua spoke about in

fact what we're going to see in the

video today is that there is not a clear

break between old Terror and new Terror

but instead chains of effects that are

connected over long periods of time

sometimes those effects are linked

across multiple Generations what I want

to show then is that each moment of

linguistic terrorism whether old or new

each moment helps build and feed into

the same trajectory of racial and

linguistic trauma in fact we really only

see an illusion of a break when we

compare the oldest examples of

linguistic terrorism from the 1980s to

the newest examples in the 2020s but

what what about all the stuff that

happened in between that's where you get

to see how experiences of Terror are

linked to one another even when

separated by Decades of time or

generations of people so let me prove it

to you okay for the rest of this video

for ease of use I'm going to switch to

the terms old school Terror when

referring to unal dua's version of

linguistic terrorism and I'll use the

term soft Terror when referring to the

updated version of the theory in this

article so let's start pulling these

Concepts apart by focusing on what I see

as the main differences old school

Terror was usually or primarily based on

punishment or the threat of punishment

on the other hand soft Terror Works

differently Works differently through

two overlapping processes ideological

Recruitment and incentivization let's

break down these processes through

through the narrative found in

subsection 3.2 of the article which is

titled the multigenerational effects of

soft linguistic terrorism so the other

sections of the article look at soft

Terror in a university context however

is actually the narrative that I think

is more important because in this

section you get to see linguistic

terrorism spanning three generations and

it's also super easy to see how old

school Terror and soft Terror

are actually linked together especially

if we keep in mind the end goal of old

linguistic terrorism which included the

enforcement of white behavioral Norms

specifically English language

monolingualism and remember they both

feed into that same trajectory of racial

and linguistic trauma okay enough

abstract talk let's look at some

concrete examples let's talk about my

experience with linguistic terrorism so

I was also born in South Texas and I

graduated from the same University as

analua however my experience with

linguistic terrorism began before I was

even born my mom also grew up in South

Texas and also attended this same

University when growing up my mother

experienced abusive white teachers who

would hit students for speaking Spanish

in school that is a literal textbook

example of old Terror now my mother's

experience with old Terror would

eventually come to have effects on her

son decades later now parents from my

mom's generation were often terrified

that their children would also be abused

in school for speaking Spanish so when I

was born my mom decided to create an

English monolingual household now

depending on how you look at this it

might appear to be a choice but to

Mexican parents back in those days that

decision was about survival not Choice

meaning the creation of my English

monolingual household was a direct

effect of old school terrorism only that

effect emerged decades after the old

school Terror my mom experienced which

now links my experience with soft Terror

to her experience with old Terror the

effect or the result if you want to call

it that was that I was socialized into

white American English monolingual norms

and because I was raised within those

Norms you could say that I was

ideologically recruited to believe that

these white Norms were in fact the norms

for everyone now remember ideological

recruitment is one of the two key

processes of soft Terror notice how no

one is hitting me for speaking Spanish

instead my mom helped create the

conditions where I would very likely

adopt or be recruited to adopt those

ideological Norms all by myself in the

article I say that ideological

recruitment is a form of enforcement

based on the appearance of consent but

what does that mean that phrase the

appearance of consent I've actually

already mentioned a couple examples but

let's back track just a bit and clarify

what I mean for example it could appear

as though my mom willingly consented to

creating an English dominant household

but we got to remember that decisions

made under duress or consent granted

under duress is not really a free choice

and like I said my mom made these

decisions out of a survival mentality

not free consent but now let's think

about about childhood Mike where he

appears as though he willingly took up

white behavioral Norms specifically

English monolingualism but again if we

really think about this I didn't

question my English language monolingual

household because I was a kid and I

didn't know any better so again the

ideological recruitment appeared

consensual so in my school experience no

one was beating the Spanish out of me in

instead I was rewarded for not being

bilingual in fact my English was often

perceived as so good that I was

fast-tracked into gifted and talented

programs and this is the second process

of soft Terror incentivization or the

offering of reward as opposed to

punishment and make no mistake it is

often these incentives that motivates

folks to accept particular ideologies so

now we got both processes ideological

Recruitment and incentivization the

story doesn't end there I must include

my own complicity as an agent of soft

Terror now as I mentioned I grew up not

speaking Spanish and was rewarded for it

in many different ways and so as a brand

new

21-year-old high school teacher in South

Texas teaching a 99% Mexican and Mexican

American population there were many

times that I advise students to

prioritize their English because it's

the language of power I told them many

times that if they learned English

they'd get into better colleges and

they'd get better jobs in other words I

was incentivizing English learning

through potential rewards I also made it

appear that if they didn't learn English

they would never graduate high school

never find a job never go to college I

was essentially creating this image of a

Spanish-speaking homeless dystopia where

the only thing to eat is Bean tacos and

cheap Mexican beer so together the

threat of not graduating high school

paired with the supposed NeverEnding

rewards of English this was my way of

attempting to ideologically recruit

students via incentives into believing

that English

monolingualism was the norm was the

right way to be an American citizen so

quick side note here I imagine that I am

not the only educator that was led

astray or miseducated or socialized into

white norms and then try to enforce

those Norms onto racialized populations

all I'm going to say here is acknowledge

mistakes were made give yourself some

Grace and move forward do better end of

side note okay a couple more things

before we go let's zoom out and note

that there are three generations of

Mexicans and Mexican Americans all

linked by a common experience of

linguistic terrorism you got my mom her

son and then her son's students three

generations all of my former students

would be well into adulthood by now but

I have to wonder how many I

successfully ideologically recruited

into adopting white behavioral Norms

specifically English monolingualism and

I also have to wonder how many of those

students will continue the legacy of

soft Terror onto a fourth generation of

Mexicans and mexican-americans perhaps

it'll continue with their children or

maybe their students if they become

teachers or whatever and because the

terror is spread across so many

generations not only does it appear

softer but in a very real way soft

linguistic terrorism can also be

extremely slow to experience in fact I

had a lot of trouble deciding whether I

should call this soft Terror or slow

terror and the rest of the article

applies soft Terror Theory to a higher

education context which I think you'll

notice looks completely different again

but the principal processes of soft

Terror are still there but importantly

soft Terror Theory does not depend on

human intentions on whether or not

someone intends to act in a racist

manner instead soft terrorism theory is

designed to focus on institutional

processes as well as uncovering those

linked chains of effects to me in my

opinion there is little value in hunting

down the real racists because the

responsibility if we can even call it

that the responsibility for the racist

effects are spread across a whole lot of

people and institutions for example my

mom creating an English dominant

household was an effect of old Terror

that she experienced and not something

that she did because she was being

xenophobic or racist similarly when I

became complicit in soft Terror as a

high school teacher my intention was to

offer my students a chance for a better

life in American society and at the time

I believed that adopting white Norms was

required because I had already been

ideologically recruited to believe such

a thing and on top of that my experience

of being constantly re rewarded for

English speaking also played a factor in

that unfortunately my good intentions

were beside the point the enforcement

and glorification of white Norms

happened whether I intended that or not

whether my mom intended that or not as I

say in the article soft terror is not

about aggressive subjugation but the

constitution of a particular reality

based on racial ing ideological

assumptions so this is just a reminder

that stuff like care and love and

empathy and good intentions cannot or

rather do not operate outside of power

relations indeed the effects of soft

Terror are often most effective when

wrapped in the camouflage of Good

Intentions The multigenerational

Narrative that I just told really

focuses on human actors the teachers who

hit children my mom me as a gifted and

talented child and finally again as a

high school teacher but if soft

linguistic terrorism focuses on

processes and linking chains of effects

then soft Terror Theory can also be used

to link chains of effects from nonhuman

actors like institutions or education

policy or language policy for example

englishon laws that stigmatize

non-english languages yeah that's an

example of linguistic terrorism like I

mentioned the rest of the article takes

us into a higher education context and

you get to see soft Terror in action

there only it's extra complicated but

again ultimately it's about enforcing

white behavioral Norms as the

unquestioned definition of what is

normal whether it's through the violent

punishment of old Terror or the

ideological Recruitment and incentiv

ization of soft Terror the effects and

envision end goal are the same de

prioritize your home Culture Your Home

language and prioritize white American

behavioral norms and finally there is a

major twist in the article when Gloria

analua attended that college the same

University in this article back then

Mexican students were lined up and

forced to speak out loud to an

administrator or a faculty member and

they were almost all promptly tracked

into remedial speech classes meant to

fix their accent that's some old school

Terror for sure but Flash Forward to

today and this University is one of the

first in the whole United States to

openly officially identify as an English

Spanish bilingual University that's huge

that's got to be progress right right I

mean Spanish isn't part of white

American behavioral Norms right so isn't

it time to celebrate well as a bit of

foreshadowing I can tell you that the

very last line of this article says

claiming to value a people's language

while simultaneously devaluing the

people who use it might be one of the

softest forms of linguistic terrorism to

date well that's all for today don't

forget to like And subscribe and do

donate to the patreon you can download

all my articles directly from momik

mana.com or academia.edu once again I'm

Mike with the social life of

language and we're

done