18 Mar 2023 1:47 am
Word of the day: "Coloniality."
As in, "Knock it off with the coloniality, I feel oppressed."
Nonprofit Oxfam's inclusivity guide calls English the 'language of a colonising nation' (msn.com)
British humanitarian organization Oxfam called English "the language of a colonizing nation" that must be "addressed in order to decolonize our ways of working and shift power," according to its newly released 92-page inclusivity guide for employees.
"We recognize that this guide has its origin in English, the language of a colonizing nation. We acknowledge the Anglo-supremacy of the sector as part of its coloniality," the introduction to the guide stated."This guide aims to support people who have to work and communicate in the English language as part of this colonial legacy," the guide continued. "However, we recognize that the dominance of English is one of the key issues that must be addressed in order to decolonize our ways of working and shift power."
Oxfam is a global charity organization founded in Oxford in 1942 to fight worldwide famine, but it currently works in 80 countries around the world. "However good our organizational intentions, the work of Oxfam are committed to challenging this colonial legacy and culture."
Oxfam added that the Inclusive Language Guide was created so staff, particularly those who work on external communications, could use language "that treats all people with respect, kindness, and dignity.""It is intended as a thought-provoking tool for our staff on how the words we use can subvert or inadvertently reinforce different forms of inequality that we work to end," the statement said. "The guide contains words and phrases that are relevant to other development and humanitarian organizations, with an explanation of why we might use that phrase instead of other common phrases in the context of power."
As in, "Knock it off with the coloniality, I feel oppressed."
Nonprofit Oxfam's inclusivity guide calls English the 'language of a colonising nation' (msn.com)
British humanitarian organization Oxfam called English "the language of a colonizing nation" that must be "addressed in order to decolonize our ways of working and shift power," according to its newly released 92-page inclusivity guide for employees.
"We recognize that this guide has its origin in English, the language of a colonizing nation. We acknowledge the Anglo-supremacy of the sector as part of its coloniality," the introduction to the guide stated."This guide aims to support people who have to work and communicate in the English language as part of this colonial legacy," the guide continued. "However, we recognize that the dominance of English is one of the key issues that must be addressed in order to decolonize our ways of working and shift power."
Oxfam is a global charity organization founded in Oxford in 1942 to fight worldwide famine, but it currently works in 80 countries around the world. "However good our organizational intentions, the work of Oxfam are committed to challenging this colonial legacy and culture."
Oxfam added that the Inclusive Language Guide was created so staff, particularly those who work on external communications, could use language "that treats all people with respect, kindness, and dignity.""It is intended as a thought-provoking tool for our staff on how the words we use can subvert or inadvertently reinforce different forms of inequality that we work to end," the statement said. "The guide contains words and phrases that are relevant to other development and humanitarian organizations, with an explanation of why we might use that phrase instead of other common phrases in the context of power."