LESSON 3

• Globalization has resulted in sharing of different

cultures and values.
• Cultural sensitivity is an attitude and way of
behaving in which you are aware of as you
acknowledge cultural differences; it is crucial for
such global goals as world peace and economic
growth as well as for effective interpersonal
communication
• Effective communication happens when people
who are different in gender or race or nationality or
affectional orientation are aware of cultural
sensitivity.
• Writings are characterized by bias-free
language that is sensitive to people’s sex, race,
age, physical condition and many other
categories.
• It does not discriminate and therefore includes
all readers in a fair and friendly manner.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

1. Sexism
 Itis a discrimination based on sex or
gender.
 In society, men are considered the
norm for the human species: their
characteristics, thoughts, beliefs and
actions are viewed as fully representing
those of all humans, male and female.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 This practice can make women invisible

in language or altogether excludes them.
 It can also lead to their portrayal as
deviations from this 'male = human' norm.
 Women's linguistic status is often
dependent on or derives from that of
men, which is represented as
autonomous.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 By relegating women to a dependent,

subordinate position, sexist language
prevents the portrayal of women and
men as different but equal human
beings.
 You should use general reference or
gender-neutral words or phrases over
gender-biased terms.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 For instance, instead of using “sales man”

or “sales lady”, one can say “sales
agent” or “sales clerk”. It is also
appropriate to use “spokesperson” in
place of “spokesman,” “labor” instead of
“manpower,” and “entrepreneur” in
place of “businessman.”
 BIASED BIASED-FREE

policeman police officer

saleslady sales clerk,
sales agent
spokesman spokesperson
courier, messenger
delivery man
business executive,
businessman entrepreneur
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 You may also avoid gender-biased

pronouns.
 First, drop pronouns that signify gender
and restructuring the statement. It is
appropriate to say “Each manager must
debrief his or her department.” than
“Each manager must debrief his
department.”
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 Second, change the sentence to plural

construction. For example, the sentence
“Nurses care for their patients” is better than
“A nurse cares for her patients.”
 Lastly, you may replace masculine or feminine
pronouns with “one” or “you.” It is biased to
say “Each student should submit his term
paper. It may be restated as “You should
submit your term paper.”
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

2. Racism
 Racism takes many forms and can
happen in many places.
 It includes prejudice, discrimination or
hatred directed at someone because
of their color, ethnicity or national origin.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 Be sensitive to religion when referring to

various ethnic groups.
 Don’t make assumptions.
 For instance, just as not all Arabs are Muslims,
most nationalities and ethnicities will embody
different religious practices.
 Avoid stereotyping a race, nationality or
ethnic group with a specific religion.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:
 Mention a person’s race or age only if it is
relevant to the story.
 For example, it is biased to say “A strange
Black man spoke to me at the grocery store.”
It is better to say “A strange man spoke to me
at the grocery store.”
 Do not assume that someone’s appearance
defines their nationality or cultural
background.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 Thisusage carries with it a hierarchical

valuation of skin color and should be avoided.
 Be aware of preferred group terms. “The bus of
Oriental senior citizens took a detour” is biased
because of the word “Oriental.” It is better to
say “The bus of Asian older adults took a
detour (only if the age and race are
relevant).”
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 Avoid words, images or situations that reinforce

stereotypes and that imply all people of a particular
race or ethnic group are the same.
 For example, “Not surprisingly, the Asian-American
students did best in the math contest.” Assuming it is
relevant to point out that this group excelled, the
phrase “not surprisingly” may reinforce the
stereotype that all Asian Americans have superior
aptitude in math.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

3. Ageism
 This refers to a person’s age only when
it is relevant to the medium or the
message.
 For example, communications that
follow newspaper style are generally
expected to state a subject’s age.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:
 If you use a generic age description, ask your
subjects what wording they prefer.
 Do they refer to themselves as older persons or
senior citizens? As youths, teenagers, or young
people?
 If you use a generic age description, ask your
subjects what wording they prefer.
 Do they refer to themselves as older persons or
senior citizens? As youths, teenagers, or young
people?
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 Boy and girl should be used for people of high

school age and younger.
 Young man, young woman, male adolescent,
and female adolescent are acceptable when
appropriate.
 Men and women should be used for people
over 18 (or of college age and older). Elderly
is not acceptable as older person is more
preferred.
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

4. Disability and Decease

 When addressing a person with disability,
focus on the person rather than the
condition.
 For example, it is biased to say, “I met an
epileptic on the bus today.” You may say, “I
met a person with epilepsy on the bus
today.”
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 Avoid using the term “disability” as an

adjective, e.g. the disability community.
 Also, avoid using adjectives as nouns, e.g.
"the deaf, the blind, the disabled." Rather,
use "people who are deaf.”
Bias-free language can be achieved when you avoid
the following:

 To avoid confusion and needless anger

on the part of any one, use language
that is clear, objective, and stereotype-
free.
 Avoid making generalizations when
talking about gender, ethnicity, race,
sexual orientation, or people with
disabilities.
 THINK – PAIR – SHARE

1. How does globalization affect the English

language?

2. What is the impact of globalization to Philippine

English?

3. How do you describe the use of bias languages in

today’s generation?
SURVEY

Conduct a survey to twenty (20) students. From

the examples of English words and expressions
given in the lecture, ask them to identify whether
those are Philippine, American, or British English.
Make a summary of those who answered
correctly and those who failed to identify the
words. See how many students are aware of
these varieties of English. Present the result to the
class.