Cultural Sensitivity and Language
Cultural Sensitivity and Language Language is perhaps the most critical element of communication. How people use it could make a lot of difference depending on the context and the environment they are in at a particular moment. Moreover, cultures differ in how they use certain words. It might be offensive, for instance, for a person to be amidst African Americans and use the “N-Word” because of the negative background associated with the word. However, some people will use such words out of ignorance or lack of awareness of the weight it carries. It is also not rare to find members of the African American communities or even white individuals who use words that they find offensive or embarrassing. However, the real issue is using language in an insensitive manner without considering the cultural setting at a specific time and why people do not seem to bother. It is unfortunate when people would use certain words when conversing without thinking about how it will make those listening feel. Therefore, there needs to be a moderation of words in the language to offend others. One might wonder why using offensive words against oneself is not found offensive, but the case is different when a person from a diverse community uses it. It becomes a problem. However, it would be extremely uncomfortable and unwarranted for a person across the other side of the racial divide to use certain “insinuating” words or language because it almost comes out as ill-intended. For instance, Clemetson, in her article, describes Joseph R. Biden’s comment against Barack Obama in the 2007 Democratic presidential race contender as painfully clumsy and piteous. Senator Biden’s remarks were such that Senator Obama was “the first mainstream African-American who is an articulate and bright and clean and nice-looking guy” (Clemetson). Using words such as articulate towards an African American raises eyebrows and frustrations (Rivers). To them and anyone else sensitive to language would understand how offensive it can be in objectification. Some might even say it is an indirect way of being racist despite that those using such words and language seem to have the best intentions. Moreover, a lack of proper language manners, especially in a particular cultural setup, can be referred to as bad cultural forms (Rivers). However, it does not particularly mean that Senator Biden, for instance, was the wrong person at the time of his use of the words. Still, he might have been aware of how insensitive the remarks were among the African American community (Rivers). There are notions of how white people tend to see their African American counterparts, and the use of a few words here amplifies that notion. For instance, the term exotic could be described as ethnocentric and racist (Rivers). When used on people, the name identifies people of color in their relationship with white people. It shows other-ness, people of foreign origin, or not part of the ordinary (Rivers). There is also the matter of people needing to be politically correct in their use of language such that they do not mean to sound discriminatory. It is not far back, perhaps even currently; poor and disadvantaged countries in the world were referred to as “third world” as if the people from those countries belonged to a “third” class of the society (Natasha). The phrase always was offensive and unnecessary for anyone who means well and should not be included in the language. There is a high level of cultural disrespect, particularly for people who come from those countries. People tend to fall into the trap of foul language use and are described as anti-Semitists and racists. Racist talks and racist mentality is what drives people to discriminate against people based on their cultural background. Anti-Semitism and racism drive people to use racial slurs and demeaning language against other people of particular cultural experience. According to Rivers, not discriminated against and abused, among other atrocities, because of their skin color, creed, or cultural background. But instead because of racism and anti-Semitism. The difference being the former indicates “inherent fault or shortcoming within the oppressed person or group,” and the latter shows that the perpetrator is responsible for the problem (Rivers). Therefore, we should not particularly bother with a particular group of people’s race and cultural background but rather the repeated racism and anti-Semitism actions (Rivers). Humans have existed for thousands of years, and the socially constructed “race” does not make one human different from the other. Nonetheless, “There are no real divisions between us, only a continuum of variations that constantly change, as we come together and separate according to the flow and movement of human populations.” Perhaps Senator Biden and President Bush’s Senator Obama’s referral as “articulate” would have been different were used a few decades earlier. Back then, there was a monopoly of censorship, and it was mostly from the right. Still, things turn out to be different in the 21st century. The left has elevated the antidiscrimination rules above absolute free speech principles (Leo). Therefore, using such a word to describe a person in a political context and further representing that person as “the first articulate” in their community appears disrespectful to other people from the district and ignorant. Ignorant that people from the African American community exist in a big way, nothing makes any other person better than them, particularly not skin color. Additionally, it is also worth noting that the essay by John Leo provides a clear guideline on how important it is to protect the opinions and the political views of people. This, according to Leo, is a very critical aspect of communication, if at all, the communication process is to be effective. According to John Leo, expressing opinions by the minority needs to be protected on This study source was downloaded by aspect of language use in political matters, even if it is controversial (Leo). However, at some point in his essay, John Leo clarifies that times have changed, and as such, everyone needs to be correct politically. In his article, John Leo notes that the right to freedom of speech is among everyone’s unique privileges in the United States of America. According to Leo, this single right allows everyone to express their political viewpoints on close to every issue in the United States. According to Natasha Spring, through words and language, cultural beliefs are transmitted from a person to another or from a given set of people to another. Unless they are applied in a meaningful context, words alone are meaningless. As such, according to Natasha Spring, the form of speech that is politically correct is an issue that has been debated about for decades with no final resolve (Natasha).