Language Diversity

Language is one of the most fundamental attributes of humankind. While many animals communicate on some level and some can even make limited use of symbols, only humans have developed complex symbolic systems capable of transmitting an almost limitless array of information, emotion, and abstract ideas.

Despite the importance of language as a source of identity as well as a stimulus for discord, language differences do no usually stand out as a major concern for diversity management in US corporations. However, recently the subject has been coming up in a number of WON member companies. This memo explores the history of language, the relationship between culture and language, and the current state of US workplace discrimination law applying to language, and analyzes the implications of this information for management.

Image: