Introduction
Olive :
Hey everyone, welcome to our podcast “Lettuce Speak”
I’m Olive,

Today we’re talking about linguistic discrimination and how the way people speak can affect how they’re treated in schools and communities.

In this episode, we’ll share real stories and experiences, talk about why linguistic discrimination happens, and discuss how schools and communities can create more inclusive environments where different voices are respected.

What is linguistic discrimination?
Linguistic discrimination is when people are judged because of their accent, dialect, slang, or the language they speak. Sometimes people are seen as ‘less intelligent,’ ‘unprofessional,’ or ‘uneducated’ just because they speak differently from what society considers ‘normal.’
Discrimination based on a person’s linguistics is very common nowadays. Directly or indirectly, students are bullied, judged, and isolated based on their accent.
Elianora:
Linguistic discrimination matters in schools and communities because language is related to identity, confidence, and opportunity. When people are judged for how they speak, it can affect more than just communication. It can affect students' confidence because when students are corrected or mocked, they could feel embarrassed speaking up which can lead to lower participation in class and can make them start to doubt their intelligence. If students are focused on how they sound instead of what they say, it creates a barrier to learning. This could lead to students avoiding asking for help, struggling to fully express their ideas, and teachers may underestimate them based on speech, which can limit their academic growth. Sometimes as well, certain ways of speaking can often be labeled as uneducated or unprofessional which can lead to bias against bilingual students and that creates unequal treatment in both schools and society.

Now let’s get into some personal stories

Personal Experience
Olive:

I remember when I was in middle school, when we were doing presentations in class, and I pronounced a word differently because that’s how my family says it at home. I noticed that a few students started laughing quietly, and it made me really self-conscious about speaking in front of the class. And I hated public speaking from then.

From that moment whenever I had to speak in class, I would always rehearse it in my head before. Because I didn’t want people judging me for the way I sounded. I even started to change my accent, just to fit in more.

So looking back, now I realize that it wasn’t about my pronunciation, it was about how people started to connect the way someone speaks to their intelligence. And this is something that every immigrant student experiences and takes a troll on their identity.

Nylani:
At home, my family speaks with an accent, and even for me, there are just certain words and ways we say things where you can definitely still hear it. It’s natural, it’s comfortable, and it's just how we talk. But when I first moved out here, I remember my dad explicitly telling me, “People out here will look at you crazy when u say certain words'
So when I started at school, I felt this massive pressure to completely mask that part of myself. I couldn't let any of those words or that accent slip through because I didn't want the judgment or the blank stares. It's crazy because you're literally navigating two different worlds. Your trying to hold onto how your family connects at home, while constantly filtering yourself at school just to make sure you fit the standard and people actually listen to you.

Elianora:

So I work at a Chinese restaurant and all of our chefs are Chinese. They usually do their own thing in the kitchen but sometimes they come out to ask me questions on an order just to double check. Some customers see this and will say “you speak chinese? Because how do you understand them” that unfortunately happened more times than I could count. I usually answer back with, “no i dont speak chinese but I don't need to, they are speaking english.” They have an accent but it's not difficult to understand them but some customers like to downgrade how they speak just because it's not proper English. At the end of the day, understanding isn't about whether their English sounds perfect, it's about listening. Just because someone has an accent doesn't mean they're hard to understand, it just means they speak differently. When people think otherwise, it says more about their bias than the person speaking. Everyone deserves to be heard and respected, no matter how they sound.

Part 3

Olive : “So why does linguistic discrimination happen so often in schools?
A big reason is that schools usually treat Standard English as the ‘correct’ way to speak. The English-only’ mindset or policy exists in many schools. Even when it’s not officially written down, it still shows up in classrooms.
The idea is that Standard English is treated as the main—or sometimes the only—‘correct’ way to speak.Of course, learning formal English is important for academics and jobs, but sometimes it creates the idea that every other way of speaking is somehow wrong or less intelligent.
For students, this can feel like they have to choose: either speak naturally and risk being judged, or change the way they speak to be taken seriously. This pressure affects their whole identity.
This is also where stereotypes begin.
Nylani:

Within school teachers tend to want to “correct” students rather than trying to understand what they are trying to communicate. When teachers jump in and start to automatically police a student it sends a message that they way they may communicate at home is wrong. Which ends up causing this great amount of pressure on them to code switch. It makes students so focused on turning on and off certain parts of their identity just to feel connected to the classroom which is exhausting.

Elianora Aminova:

This type of discrimination happens because people are taught, usually without realizing, to connect certain ways of speaking with intelligence, education, and professionalism. “Standard English is treated as the norm, so anything that sounds different, like an accent, a dialect, or informal speech, can be unfairly judged as incorrect or less educated. Because of this, people may assume that someone who speaks with an accent is less smart, or they aren't professional, even when that has nothing to do with their actual abilities.These stereotypes are learned through social, media, and social expectations which leads people to judge how something is said instead of actually listening to what is being said.

Part 4

Nylani:
This can affect a student's confidence a lot. A lot of students tend to just stop participating in class. This isnt because they dont know the answers or dont want to engage, its because they feel like if they do they would end up being embarrassed if they slip up while code switching. It really takes a massive toll on your identity and makes you feel like you don't belong in a place where you very well do.
Elianora:

When the way a person speaks is accepted and respected, they are more likely to feel included, comfortable, and confident being themselves. But when their accent or dialect is judged or corrected in a negative way, it can make them feel excluded. Over time, this can cause people to hold back, stay quiet, or even change how they speak just to fit in. Instead of feeling like they're part of the community, they could feel like they have to earn their place in it.

Section 5
Olive
“So how can schools actually do better when it comes to linguistic discrimination?”
“One important step is for teachers to value different dialects, accents, and languages instead of treating them like mistakes. Students should feel proud of the way they speak and where they come from.”
Elianora:
“Schools can also encourage bilingualism instead of discouraging it. Speaking more than one language is a skill, not a problem. A lot of students grow up translating for their families or moving between languages every day, and that should be recognized as a strength.”
Nylani:
“Another big thing is creating safe spaces where students feel comfortable speaking naturally without fear of being laughed at or judged. When students feel respected, they’re more likely to participate and express themselves confidently.”
Nylani:
“I also think schools should teach students about language diversity, not just grammar and ‘correctness.’ Different communities have different ways of speaking, and that doesn’t make one better than another.”
Elianora:
“Exactly. Language is connected to culture, identity, and experience. The goal shouldn’t be to erase differences — it should be to understand and respect them.” “And once schools start seeing language diversity as something valuable instead of something to fix, students can feel accepted for who they are instead of pressured to change.”

Conclusion -
Olive
“To wrap everything up, linguistic discrimination is something that really affects students more than we realize. It can shape confidence, participation, and even how people see themselves.”
“That’s why this topic matters — because language isn’t just about grammar or correctness. It’s connected to identity, culture, and belonging.”
Nylani:
“When students feel judged for the way they speak, they may feel like they have to hide who they are.”
Elianora:
“But when schools value different voices, students feel more confident, more included, and more willing to participate.” “The way we speak is part of who we are, and schools should respect that — not erase it.”