Re: I Envy
by ravinder khatana on Jul 14, 2009 06:51 AM
you r right, Currently I am in China even though I am working on USA based project but company ask me to learn Chinese.
Getting rejected on account of your accent is common.
I'm not defending it. Just saying that if you're looking for a job and someone has pointed this out, don't shoot the messenger.
Work on your accent and see if you can be incredibly good in other aspects so people don't mind overlooking the accent aspect.
If you can find out how to do this, please post your answer to help others.
I realize I'm going to get flamed for this by people who have never been on the receiving end of this or who live in a theoretically correct world. Peace be with you...
Re: Get used to it or do something about it
by DarthVader on Jul 14, 2009 02:39 AM
Yes, and it works the other way also by the way. If you have a really good "accent", people will overlook lack of other skill sets and hire you (even if some of those skills are critical).
However, due to political correctness, no mention will ever be made of any "accent" deficiencies. This will be politely referred to as "communication skills".
Re: Get used to it or do something about it
by antar jaal on Jul 14, 2009 04:20 AM
I agree. If people cant understand you how can they hire you. The HR dude/dudette was being helpful. Dont make it a race issue...or at least dont assume that is what it is. Doc you hit the nail on the head. Well said.
Accents are often used as proxies for race and ethnicity and projecting attitudes based upon those on a "set of people" who are typically not considered equals. In a way, it blames the "victim" for their "shortcomings" in a neutral way.
For example, an American will ALWAYS speak the same accent no matter if he is America, Africa, Australia, India or even Brazil, and louder if people do not understand.
A British person's accent is considered "gentrified" and respected even if the listener does not understand some of the words being spoken. It is considered bad form to express dissatisfaction with the British Accent.
Even in America or Europe or elsewhere, a European speaking with a noticeable German or French accent will not have any difficulty whatsoever being understood, and will not experience hostility be it professionally or socially. If you have listened to some of the Irish accents, you may find it hard to understand, but people in America and elsewhere in Europe accept it.
However, a non caucasian person speaking English anywhere in the world has to be very cognizant of how they come across - they have to either have a British or American accent to gain full acceptance, or Australian etc. Minor flaws will be highlighted and references made to "Communications skill".
Re: Why Accents really matter?? - Proxy for Race and Ethnicity
by antar jaal on Jul 14, 2009 04:16 AM
I live in the US and Australians, Irish, Scots, British eventually do modify their accents a bit so that Americans can understand better. That doesnt mean their individuality or ethnicity is squashed as there is still an aspect of their original acccent.
I don't think there is much research behind what you are saying. You are making this is a race issue when it is really a communication issue.
Re: first preference....only girls will be selected
by aray rupa on Jul 14, 2009 03:28 AM
What if the interviewer is female? Coming to glamor ... A quote, beauty attracts sight but knowledge attracts soul.
Re: first preference....only girls will be selected
by RAKSHANDA on Jul 25, 2009 05:51 PM
ITS ONLY AN EXCUSE MADE FOR ONES WEAKNESS.ITS NOTHING LIKE THAT.ITS REALLY HARD TO ACCEPT ONES WEAKNESS. THAT TOO IN COPMPARISON WITH GIRLS.OOH;;
Re: Hey author..
by DarthVader on Jul 14, 2009 02:43 AM
You are right. I guess that is the why the person who is pushing this service has named herself Nashtha Feeder, oops I mean Nasha Fitter.
it is English that is destroying our communication skill. Like any foreign language english has different roots and ways to speak than our mother tongue. The foools in education dept are so obsessed with the engliss that they dont see the bad effects of thursting it down our children throats. I am ashamed that I am writing here in engliss so that all those who I want to explain this can read it. English makes you lazy due to over use of stress-variation. English makes you slow and bumpy communicator becos you think in mother longue and mentally translate it later. English makes you feel that you know less than another englishman just becos he can speak more fluently. This feeling shows its subconscious effects outside of communication domain. English is different from every INDIAN language because all INDIAN laguage are same in grammar. English is plain illogical. See I cant even explain the reason properly in this language.
Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by QandA QandA on Jul 14, 2009 12:11 AM
If wealth is created by English Speaking Wealthy People then that's the current demand from Nature to improve your English...
Tomorrow if Gijju's and Norhtie's create more wealth then they will spread their language within India..
Re: Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by funtoos on Jul 14, 2009 02:02 AM
Thats not true. Japanese and Germans have created a lot of wealth but have those languages spread? English is a defacto global language and with the world becoming smaller (air-travel, internet, TV, increasing prosperity leading to more travel and job relocations etc.) English will continue its dominance.
Re: Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by Desi on Jul 14, 2009 03:32 AM
Well, The economics is that..you can not employee 1 billion people supporting goods and services for 300 million English speaking americans...
Communication skills should not be associated with english speaking skill...BTW its time for indians to update their knowledge of english because next gen americans speak totally different english..its difficult to understand when american kids talk nowdays...
Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by Debarshi Das on Jul 14, 2009 01:34 AM
let india be a first world country then all indians can teach rest of the world hindi or urdu(by the way, u have to decide on one national language then, u cant expect others to learn 16 languages of india)...however because i cant see tha chance even in remote future, this will be opposite way....thank god americans speak english as brits speak, imagine if we were ruled by spannish then we have to learn spanish and english also....so look at the positive side and try to accept the reality...after all english is not a bad language either....it is considered pretty easy world wide, and has an huge literature assets...
Re: Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by DarthVader on Jul 14, 2009 02:28 AM
The last time I checked, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and even Korea (recently) were considered First World countries - so what exactly is your point? Are people speaking all of these languages?
Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by telugu on Jul 13, 2009 09:52 PM
Man you wrote my words! we will be having always a disadvantage when speaking/writing in English. currently in our society,people started giving more value to the opinions of people who are expressing in English than one who express in their mother Tongue.No matter what how correct their opinion is.
Re: Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by Indian on Jul 14, 2009 03:09 AM
When you wont be ashamed of having an "accent" while speaking English, when you wont try to adopt American or British accents, when you wont be ashamed of your broken english, when you wont judge people by their english proficiency...then you wont be having any of these problems...As pointed out in one of the messages above..Japs, Germans, and a lot of Europeon countries dont speak good english...yet they are ahead of us..
Re: it is English that is destroying our communication skill
by Truth BeTold on Jul 13, 2009 11:08 PM
Don't portray your inadequacy of English language as an empirical truth. You have a choice to use it or not. In the same coin, Hindi is not as good as Marathi or Telgu because it doesnt have all the characters. Nothing is perfect.
