Glossary

Comprehensibility is a listener’s perception of how easy or difficult it is to understand what a speaker has said.

Fluency describes the flow of speech. Fluent speech has fewer filled pauses such as uhs and ums and fewer unfilled pauses such as periods of silence. In casual conversation, many people use the term “fluency” when speaking about proficiency.

Proficiency refers to the ability to use and understand language accurately and appropriately (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing). In casual conversation, many people use the term “fluency” when speaking about proficiency.

A dialect includes all aspects of speech associated with a particular region. While pronunciation is one aspect of dialectal speech (ie, a regional accent), dialects also include particular vocabulary and grammar. Dialects can be written or spoken.

“Foreign accent” and “nonnative accent” suggest that the person’s accent is flawed or “imperfect” and that the person should aim for a “native” standard. “Second language accent” is more inclusive and avoids labeling speakers as outsiders or deficient.

A person's accent can tell us where the person is from, where they grew up, where they have lived. In many parts of the world, accents also provide information about social class, with marked differences between more and less “posh” accents. Accents don't reveal many things about a person including their abilities, intelligence, or character.

There is no such thing as a "better" accent. However, speakers of some accents, including second language accents, enjoy more privilege in certain places. For example, in North America, second language speakers of English whose accents suggest that they come from countries like France or Germany may experience more privilege than speakers whose accents indicate that they come from India. This is based on person- and context-specific social evaluations and has nothing to do with the accent itself.

No accent is in itself more difficult to understand—this always depends on the listener. We sometimes perceive some accents as harder to understand than others because they are more distant from the pronunciation that we expect for a given word or language. Therefore, the more familiar we are with an accent, the easier it is for us to understand it, because our brains learn what to expect very quickly.

Speaking with a relatively strong accent does not necessarily make a person less understandable. A speaker's comprehensibility can be reduced if they produce many dysfluencies such as hesitations or if they emphasize the wrong syllable in a word. Grammar and vocabulary errors can also lead to reduced understanding. It is recommended that speakers focus on these factors as opposed to trying to get rid of their accents.

In general, it becomes easier to understand second language accents with more practice. This includes spending time listening to and interacting with a range of speakers. 

In general, a person's accent is not associated with their proficiency in their second language. A person can be a highly proficient user of a second language and still speak it with a heavy accent.

We would encourage employers to consider the types of scenarios in which the individual will need to perform and potentially assess their ability to do the relevant tasks successfully. A general language test provides relatively little information about how well someone will perform their job.

Accent bias is a form of linguistic bias based on a person’s pronunciation. The pronunciation features may include individual sounds, specific words, or other features like the placement of stress or the melody of utterances. Like other forms of bias, accent bias can conjure up unconscious stereotypes, beliefs, assumptions, or attitudes about an individual. 

Accent bias can show itself in any setting in which two people interact. Listeners may make assumptions about where a speaker is from, whether what they have to say is truthful, or how smart they are based on their pronunciation. There are situations where this can become discriminatory, with second language speakers being assessed unfairly, for example, when applying for jobs, looking for housing, or being sentenced in court.

An accent is not associated with an individual’s knowledge. In most situations (that is, if a speaker can be relatively easily understood), an accent does not get in the way of an individual being able to perform a job competently. It is important to distinguish between the skills required to perform the job and a speaker’s pronunciation. There have been reports of accented speakers not being considered for jobs, receiving lower pay, or being overlooked for promotions simply because they speak with an accent.

Accent bias is often unconscious. When we act on biases, we tend to engage in discriminatory behaviour.

Workplaces can put the knowledge that accent does not reveal someone’s competence, knowledge, or personality into action by ensuring that accented workers are given the opportunity to serve in leadership positions. Inter-group contact is a powerful tool to reduce bias, and workplaces are encouraged to give employees the opportunity to collaborate with skilled second language speakers. Ensuring opportunities for meaningful connection can encourage employees to humanize the notion of someone who speaks with an accent.

Language can also be considered a privilege. This is because people don’t often have a choice of which languages they grow up speaking as their mother tongues. This would normally not be an issue. However, because different languages are not treated the same in society—for example, in terms of their importance—some people can be treated differently than others depending on which languages they grow up speaking.

Being able to speak particular languages might give people certain advantages. For example, people might have easier access to education and healthcare. Speaking specific languages might also help people in terms of securing jobs or having opportunities for professional growth. Similarly, speaking particular languages could “protect” people from being viewed negatively.

It is true that most adults have full control over which languages they choose to learn or speak. However, many people might be at a disadvantage in some contexts where they don’t speak the language that might give them certain privileges or if they speak it as a second or additional language. For example, second language speakers may have difficulty with everyday tasks such as completing government paperwork, passing a driving test, or renting a place to live.

Accented second language speakers are often marked as “someone from somewhere else” because of how they speak that language. If a specific language such as English in the United States or French in Quebec comes with certain privileges, accented speakers of these languages might face barriers. For instance, they might be perceived as less qualified in job interviews, they might receive poorer customer service, or their credibility might be questioned in court.