Linguistic prejudice is the discrimination between speakers of the same language, in which there is no respect for linguistic variations (ways of speaking and writing).
Linguistic variations are accents, regionalisms (typical characteristics of a region's way of speaking), dialects (regional variations of a language), slang and other speech differences.
Linguistic prejudice is the prejudiced judgment about the way someone speaks, especially if the speech it is influenced by cultural, regional or historical characteristics of the place where the person lives or was born. Other characteristics, such as ethnicity (indigenous, black, brown or white) and gender, can also influence the way of speaking.
The language is dynamic and constantly evolving. Therefore, it adapts to its speakers and new realities, fulfilling its role of ensuring communication. All languages have linguistic variations that are influenced by various factors such as region, age, social group, cultural aspects and ethnicity.
The term linguistic prejudice was created in the 1980s by the Finnish linguist Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, who researched the discrimination of the language used by minority groups.
For her, prejudice begins when a different language causes strangeness, and this prejudiced estrangement it creates power relationships between people (more power for those who use formal language and less power for those who don't).
Examples of Linguistic Prejudices
- laughing at someone because of their accent;
- think that the Portuguese spoken in Portugal is more correct than the one spoken in Brazil;
- mocking those who use ancient slang;
- correct someone's “wrong” pronunciation;
- to believe that the language used in the past was more correct;
- discrimination with the simplified language used on the internet.
See another example of linguistic prejudice in this excerpt of the poem speech addictions, by Oswald de Andrade.
To say corn they say mio
for the better they say mió
for worse
For tile they say web
for roof they say web
And they build roofs
In this poem, the author shows some examples that compare formal grammar and popular speech of some words. Note that the words maw, maw, maw, web and web they are not part of the rules of the Portuguese language, but are used by the Portuguese-speaking population.
Even if these words are not right (from the point of view of grammar), they should not be considered wrong, because they are part of a Brazilian regionalism. The poem shows the difference between the language used by those with more formal education and by workers (roof builders).
Linguistic prejudice in Brazil
Brazil is a very large country with an immense cultural diversity that is reflected in regional linguistic variations. When these variations are compared with the rules of grammar, there are cases of linguistic prejudice among Brazilians.
Prejudice arises from the comparison between the rules of grammar and the spoken language, which varies according to age, educational level, region, gender or ethnicity of the person who speaks.
For example, the particular way in which people who live in interior regions speak can be the target of jokes on the part of the inhabitants of big cities.
When talking about regional expressions, use of slang and other linguistic variations, it is not correct to say that there is a "right" and a "wrong" way of expressing oneself.
Normative grammar is important for the preservation of order in the Portuguese language. But it is also important to consider the fact that the language is constantly changing, according to social, historical and regional evolution.
Linguist Marcos Bagno published the book Linguistic Prejudice: what is it, how is it done. In the work, he defends that the linguistic varieties of Brazil should be valued because they are part of the identity and culture of the Brazilian people.
In Brazilian literature, the modernist movement (mainly in the 1920s and 1930s) reinforced the importance of linguistic variations. Much of the literature and poetry produced at this time highlighted regional differences in the language as an important part of the identity of the Brazilian people.
see the poem Evocation of Recife, by Manuel Bandeira.
Life didn't come to me through newspapers or books
It came from the mouths of the people in the wrong language of the people
right language of the people
In this excerpt of the poem, the writer extols popular language. He jokes that the language of the people is the “right language”, to show that popular forms of expression are also correct.
See also the meaning of Linguistics.
Examples of linguistic prejudice in Brazil
- making fun of regional accents, such as Ceará, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, São Paulo or Rio Grande do Sul;
- laugh at people who make simple mistakes (like saying "problem" instead of problem);
- to say that a person says “wrong” because he doesn't follow the rules of grammar;
- judge that it is more correct to say “you” rather than “you” (they are just regional differences);
- make fun of the different names that things have in each region (such as cassava, cassava and cassava);
- to think that it is only right to speak the way you write.
in the strip Good Portuguese, we have an example of linguistic prejudice against the language of rural residents.
In the comic strip, the character Chico Bento lives in the rural area and uses expressions typical of those who live in these regions, such as “quart”, “sabê” and “feiz”. The teacher shows a prejudice towards the regional speech of Chico Bento, saying that “this is not Portuguese to be spoken”.
What are the causes and consequences of linguistic prejudice?
THE main cause of linguistic prejudice is the idea that there is only one right form of expression. This is because normative grammar (which organizes language rules) is used as the only reference for the correct language.
But grammar does not include popular expressions, slang and regionalisms that, even though they are not part of it, cannot be considered wrong.
The idea that there is only one right way to express yourself makes all the other ways wrong. As a result, people or groups that do not follow formal rules can be victims of linguistic prejudice.
4 consequences of linguistic prejudice
- social exclusion of people who express themselves with regional, informal language or through dialects;
- fear of expressing oneself or speaking in public;
- damage to self-esteem because the victim of prejudice may feel inferior or “less intelligent”;
- difficulty getting a job, especially for jobs that require more formal communication.
Bibliographic reference
BAGNO, Mark. Linguistic Prejudice: what is it, how is it done. São Paulo: Loyola Editions, 1999.