native speakerism – Good Comms | Communication for good

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The power of nuance in an age of superlatives

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership

In a previous post, I explored how nuance is often matched with native speakers sometimes have the privilege of being imprecise with language. When words come easily, it’s tempting to reach for dramatic phrases without thinking carefully about what they really mean. But nuanced thinking doesn’t belong only to native speakers. In fact, people who’ve had to learn languages carefully—weighing each word choice—often develop sharper skills for recognizing complexity and avoiding oversimplification.

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Good communication goes beyond mother-tongue fluency

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership

‘Native speaker’ sounds like a standard of excellence, but is it really? In many organisations, someone’s mother tongue is still seen as the gold standard for language skill. But look closer, and that assumption doesn’t hold up, and it often excludes talented professionals. In this blog, I make the case for a more inclusive understanding of language expertise: one that focuses not on where you’re from, but on what you can actually do with language.

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Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership

Goede communicatie gaat verder dan moedertaal

Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership

‘Native speaker’ klinkt als een kwaliteitslabel, maar is dat het ook? In veel organisaties wordt moedertaalgebruik nog steeds gezien als dé maatstaf voor taalvaardigheid. Maar wie goed kijkt, ziet dat deze aanname niet alleen onjuist is, maar ook mensen uitsluit. In deze blog breek ik een lans voor een inclusiever taalbegrip: eentje dat niet focust op afkomst, maar op wat iemand écht met taal kan.

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Inclusive communication, Inclusive leadership