Stigma and Prestige: Social Consequences of Standardising a Language
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v5i5.403Keywords:
Language Standardisation; Stigma; Prestige; Sociolinguistics; Language Policy; Identity; Inequality; EducationAbstract
This paper examines how language and society shape each other when one variety becomes the public standard. Drawing on research from education, sociolinguistics, social psychology, language policy, and technology, it explains why the standard often generates prestige for some speakers and stigma for others. Evidence from schools, workplaces, public services, and digital platforms shows a consistent pattern: institutions reward the standard with trust and opportunity, while other varieties are more likely to be corrected, doubted, or excluded. The central mechanisms are gatekeeping by teachers, employers, public officials, and algorithms; the heavy learning load created by early, strict demands for the standard; and listener expectations shaped by class, region, and race. The paper proposes practical steps that preserve the benefits of a shared norm while lowering social costs: staged bridges to the standard in schooling with aligned assessments; guaranteed interpreting and plain-language communication in services; workplace evaluation based on intelligibility and task fit; and technology standards that report group-wise performance and include audience-aware settings.
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