Cultural Sensitivity and Language

Cultural Sensitivity and Language Use

Simply talking about culture can be like entering a minefield. Even the use of the word 'articulate' or praising an African-American's 'intelligence' can be questionable. The use of language is so powerful -- and so controversial -- because it can unintentionally unmask great deal about the speaker's unconscious attitudes towards race, as well as his or her conscious attitudes. "It's like weight loss. The last few pounds are the hardest to get rid of. It's the last vestiges of racism that are hard to get rid of," said one African-American comedian, despairing of how he is often called 'articulate' as if this is surprising and marvelous (Clementson 2007). Even in the upper echelons of power, at organizations such as Goldman Sachs, it is not uncommon for an African-American candidate to be labeled 'articulate' (as if that is a surprise, given the level of accomplishment one must obtain simply to gain an interview at such a prestigious organization) while white candidates with similar credentials are not labeled as such.

Another common word that may seem like a compliment, but can be very offensive to the addressee is the word 'exotic.' By definition, exotic means strange and alien. Although we might think of exotic in a positive light, like a woman with exotic beauty or a place that is an exotic tourist destination, exotic, "when applied to human beings, is ethnocentric and racist. It defines people of color only as we relate to white people. It implies a state of other-ness, or foreign origin, apart from the norm. It is not a compliment" (Three Rivers 1996). Exotic is often used by whites to refer to nonwhites, but that is a completely solipsistic perspective, as within one's own nation of origin a nonwhite person is not 'exotic,' merely a human being.

In fact, notions of whiteness have changed considerably over time. Not so long ago, Irish and Italian immigrants in America were not considered 'white,' or amongst the privileged classes. Even something that 'feels' objective like race because of the culture power that we invest in it is actually located in a highly specific context of meaning. 'White' only makes sense if it compared against 'black.' But terms such as 'whiteness' or 'blackness' of race which seem so concrete would make very little sense when transposed, say, to India, where skin color is of less importance than caste status. In other societies, ethnicity or religion might be more important in classifying someone.