Today is Valentine’s Day – a day for chocolaty treats, cards and – if you’re lucky – fancy jewelry.
Why, then, am I writing about the unsavory issue of foreign accent reduction?
And what does an ancient Roman martyr have to do with it?
It is a little unconventional, but I hope you’ll bear with me.
Some of you may recall that the topic of foreign accent reduction was in the news last month.
The thing that surprised me the most about the news reports was not so much the subtle bigotry, hatred and ignorance that still occurs in Canadian society, but that a great gulf continues to exist between official policy and reality.
The great Canadian paradox is this: on a national level, the government embraces diversity. Everyone is told that diversity is our strength as a nation. We feel all warm and fuzzy about the policy position and Canada’s public image as a champion of freedom, equality and human rights on the world stage.
I have observed how newcomers believe the political rhetoric. They soak up the persuasive oratory and bathe in it until they feel the sharp pang of the old bait-and-switch: diversity isn’t as appreciated in Canadian society as the federal government makes it out to be.
Respect for nonstandard accents seems to be trailing behind the rhetoric.
Qualified professionals face language discrimination not because they use incorrect English vocabulary or because of inverted word order, but because their accent and intonation doesn’t blend in with others, causing complications in everyday conversation.
They are made to feel that their value on the open market hinges on an accent.
I can’t help but wonder what a foreign accent is, anyway? Is it the French-Canadian accent spoken by a Quebecker in Ontario? Is it the non-rhotic accent spoken in pockets of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland? Is it the shorter syllable length used by the Metis in the Prairies when they speak Indigenous English?
Is it all of the above, or none of the above, given that all of these “foreign accents” are spoken by Canadians to Canadians?
The news articles brought me back to the messy and sometimes heated talks I used to have with my dad around the kitchen table about 30 years ago.
He was proud to be born in Italy, and he didn’t understand why he was made to feel ashamed because he used a particular cadence or intonation when he spoke English.
Wasn’t Canada a country rich in accents? Why wasn’t his unmistakable Italian “accento” acceptable in some circles?
My dad equated the adjustment of his accent with the adjustment of self – expunging the very heart of what made him unique in this world.
No where did it say – even back then – that when he arrived in Canada that he “had to” kowtow to a standard Canadian persona – that he had to speak quietly, that he had to adjust his baritone and sometimes antagonistic tone of voice, that he had to stop gesturing with his hands, that he had to start thinking and speaking in a more linear fashion.
He never promised to blend in and act a certain way.
All he wanted was a chance to make something of himself, to be free to be the best version of himself that he could be – even in a small way.
He believed that it was possible to be true to his own heritage and to be accepted for unique self-expression in an English-speaking country.
Whenever the topic of foreign accent reduction resurfaces, it tugs at my heartstrings.
From my perspective as a Canadian ESL instructor, this type of training is the equivalent of saying: “You can’t be yourself – you shouldn’t, if you want to get ahead.”
It’s enough to drive a person to cultural desperation.
That brings me to the second part of this entry.
What can the Roman bishop and saint teach us about the concept of “foreign accent reduction”?
By all accounts, there was nothing really soft-hearted or accommodating about St. Valentine, even though his name is used in connection with a “lover’s holiday”.
He was about as tough as it gets.
In A.D. 270, the Roman Emperor Claudius issued an edict that abolished marriage.
St. Valentine disagreed with the Emperor. He continued to perform marriage ceremonies.
This blatant insubordination made Claudius crazy with rage; he clubbed, stoned and beheaded St. Valentine for his conviction.
Let’s be clear here: I’m not suggesting that immigrants, or anyone for that matter, espouse martyrdom.
That is not my point.
What I am saying is that St. Valentine can teach us a little something about the courage of our convictions.
Success is about strength of ideas and attitude – not accents.
Did a noticeable accent stop MPP Michael Chan from becoming Minister of International Trade in the Ontario Liberal Government?
Did an accent stop Jojo Chintoh from a lifelong career as a television journalist?
Did it stop The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean? Did it stop K’Naan? Did it stop Johnny Lombardi?
It may have slowed them down, but it didn’t stop them.
The day will come, I suppose, when we will no longer notice nonstandard accents.
Exposure to accent-rich English environments will improve our communication flexibility, tolerance and respect for variations in pronunciation.
By then, perhaps we’ll come to honour people for what they’ve achieved as people.
For those of you who missed the CBC news reports, I’ve posted them here for you.
Article 1: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/the-accent-effect-toronto-4-1.4407769
Article 2: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/the-accent-effect-toronto-2-1.4495322
Article 3: http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/canada-accents-film-tv-1.4178680
Article 4: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/the-accent-effect-5-1.4505392
TED-Ed Talk on Accents
