How You Say It

Buchzusammenfassung

Katherine D. Kinzler is professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, specializing in the relationship between language and socialization. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Quartz, and numerous academic journals.

Beloved films like *Aladdin*, *The Lion King*, and *The Jungle Book* captivate audiences with their charm but subtly promote linguistic bias by associating certain accents with villainy or humor. This bias, rooted in survival instincts, begins in infancy as humans naturally favor familiar speech patterns. Studies show children prioritize accents over race when choosing friends, highlighting the deep influence of voice on perception. Historically, language has been a marker of identity and a source of division, as seen in events like the Soweto protests. Speech also reflects social belonging, with individuals adapting their patterns to fit in, as demonstrated by teenagers and even cultural shifts like upspeak or vocal fry. Bias against accents persists in modern contexts, from job discrimination, as in Manuel Fragante’s case, to housing and legal inequities, where non-standard accents face prejudice. Meanwhile, bilingualism, once misunderstood, is now recognized for its cognitive benefits, enhancing adaptability, problem-solving, and perspective-taking. Promoting linguistic diversity and addressing accent bias could foster greater inclusivity and understanding.

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