Discriminatory "accentism" rife, says academic

Posted By: James

Wednesday 9th July 2014

Discriminatory ‘accentism’ rife, says academic

Alexander Baratta, a lecturer in English language at the University of Manchester's school of education, says people with a strong regional accent suffer from such negative perceptions that many feel forced to "posh up" their speech. He suggests that ‘accentism’ is the "last taboo" after the fight against racism, ageism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. “We should acknowledge that any form of workplace discrimination, to include accentism, should not be tolerated in a society which seeks to be more inclusive. This is why 'accentism' should be taken seriously as a problem which affects many of us,” Dr Baratta stated.

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