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Legitimising dialect discrimination

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Anonymous  #537637  Mon, 07 Jul 08 08:39 AM
Why is dialect discrimination (unlike sexual or ethnic discrimination) still openly legitimised in the workplace?
  
Mister Micawber  #537651  Mon, 07 Jul 08 09:27 AM
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Are they making fun of your pronunciation again at the office, M?
.
  
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Anonymous  #537989  Mon, 07 Jul 08 10:06 PM
One would hope not. Papa spent a lot of money on my RP lessons and good schooling. (;)) Wink
  
Kooyeen  #538013  Mon, 07 Jul 08 10:34 PM
Hi,
two possible answers:

1) Some employers want to hire people who seem well educated, and well educated native speakers should usually be able to use a less "regionalized" variety at work, use a more formal register, and expressing their thoughts precisely, if the employer prefers you to do so.
I'm not saying those who say "hey, waddup y'all?" are uneducated. I'm saying educated people are usually able to change register if required to do so. Picking up the phone at home: "Yo, what do you want, Fred? - At work: "Hello Mr. Picky, may I help you?"

2) It is discriminated against because... why not? There's always a good excuse to discriminate against something. It's not different from sexual and racial discrimination, because those are all still present.

NOTE: sometimes it might be "standard" English the one that is discriminated against. For example if you have a job interview with Snoop Dogg as a producer and you want to get popular as a rapper. In that case talking white might sound too educated and would probably be unacceptable. You might even get shot by one of them gangsta, so you better watch out. LOL
  
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MrPedantic  #538045  Tue, 08 Jul 08 01:02 AM

Anonymous
Why is dialect discrimination (unlike sexual or ethnic discrimination) still openly legitimised in the workplace?

In which country, old chap?

MrP

  
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Anonymous  #538658  Wed, 09 Jul 08 10:37 AM
<2) It is discriminated against because... why not? There's always a good excuse to discriminate against something. It's not different from sexual and racial discrimination, because those are all still present.>

But are both those forms of discrimination openly legitimised?
  
Anonymous  #538659  Wed, 09 Jul 08 10:39 AM
For starters, the USA.
  
Anonymous  #538661  Wed, 09 Jul 08 10:41 AM
<In which country, old chap?

MrP>

Does it happen in your country, MrP?

  
MrPedantic  #538949  Wed, 09 Jul 08 10:14 PM

Anonymous
For starters, the USA.

I expect lots of things happen in the USA. It's quite a big place.

Do you go there very often?

MrP

  
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