We are how we sound: Accent, identity, and the roots of mutual respect
What do our voices say about us? 鈥淪ay That Again?鈥� is a new podcast series about how our identities and experiences shape how we sound 鈥� and how the way we speak can be a source of pride, resilience, and understanding.聽New episodes weekly beginning Feb. 25.
We often think of diversity in terms of the way we look: the color of our skin, hair, and eyes; how cultural heritage appears in clothes, in food, and on holiday calendars.聽
But what about the way we sound?聽
How we talk is the audible expression of our identities. It is shaped by our families, communities, histories, beliefs, and experiences. And, for better or worse, it signals everything from our intelligence to our trustworthiness, in ways that influence perception and change lives.聽
Our new podcast聽聽shares stories of people learning to embrace, and even celebrate, how they speak: a Puerto Rican woman rediscovering her own history, an Indigenous family seeing and hearing themselves on TV for the first time, a Ghanaian immigrant finding confidence in the way he communicates, a community reclaiming its ancestors鈥� language, and more.聽
Each story shows the strength and resilience it takes to face society鈥檚 biases about accent and language 鈥� and find pride and dignity in our own unique voices.聽
Hosted by reporters Jessica Mendoza and Jingnan Peng.聽
Episode transcript
Samantha Laine Perfas:聽Welcome to "Rethinking the News" from 海角大神. I鈥檓 Samantha Laine Perfas, one of its producers. We鈥檙e super excited to announce we鈥檝e got a brand new podcast from our multimedia team called 鈥淪ay That Again?鈥� Jessica Mendoza and Jingnan Peng host this series, and they explore all kinds of ways in which our accents and identities are intertwined. Here鈥檚 the trailer, enjoy!
[Music]
Jessica Mendoza:聽How we talk is a funny thing.聽聽
惭别苍诲辞锄补:听Right now, you鈥檙e listening to me. And you鈥檙e hearing not just what I鈥檓 saying, but the way I鈥檓 saying it.聽
Jingnan 笔别苍驳:听Now how often have you had this happen?
Mendoza:聽Could you say that again?
[THEME]
惭别苍诲辞锄补:听I鈥檓 Jessica Mendoza.
Peng:聽And I鈥檓 Jingnan Peng.
Mendoza:聽We鈥檙e reporters with 海角大神. And this is Say That Again? A new podcast about how we sound, how we listen, and why that matters.聽
[MUSIC]
Peng:聽Sorry, say that again?
Mendoza:聽Yeah, that鈥檚 the name of the podcast!聽
笔别苍驳:听And did you say it was about how we sound?聽
Mendoza:听驰耻辫.
Peng:聽So we鈥檒l have stories like the one about the woman who thought she鈥檇 lost her Puerto Rican accent?聽
Mendoza:聽That鈥檚 right.
Peng:聽What about the one where the guy didn鈥檛 get the job because of how he speaks?
Mendoza:聽That one too.聽
Peng:聽Oh, what about the family who was so excited that their people鈥檚 voices were being heard on TV?聽
Mendoza:聽Yes. Jing, you know this!
Peng: Yeah, but I want to make sure everyone else does, too.聽
[MUSIC]聽 聽
Mendoza:聽So whether you speak fast or slow 鈥�
笔别苍驳:听鈥� whether English is your first language or your fifth 鈥�
Mendoza:聽鈥撀爓hether you sound southern, or coastal, or somewhere in between 鈥�
Peng:聽鈥� or if you believe that everyone deserves to be heard, and not judged, no matter what they sound like 鈥�
Mendoza:聽Then this is the podcast for you.聽
[MUSIC]
Mendoza:聽Subscribe to Say That Again? on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher.
笔别苍驳:听Or visit our site,聽csmonitor.com/saythatagain. That鈥檚聽.
[END]
