“What's your accent, where are you from?”: Language and belonging among older immigrants

Abstract

Researchers have identified immigration and marginalization as two processes that impact older immigrants' experience of aging in the U.S. Our paper draws on 42 interviews with a diverse group of older American immigrants to center issues of language, accent, and Othering. We argue that the importance of language extends beyond communication for older immigrants, as English proficiency and accent are important boundaries determining inclusion and recognition as an American. Accents are a racialized characteristic that can prompt microaggressions and exclusion. We identified a racial pattern in reported reactions to accents among the participants in our study. White immigrants generally described positive appraisals of their accent, and typically had a choice whether to emphasize their national origins. While white immigrants were viewed as “Acceptable Outsiders,” many immigrants of color described microaggressions, ridicule, and discrimination related to their accented speech. We contend that these experiences of Othering can have a profound impact on sense of belonging, as many of the older immigrants of color in our study expressed a persistent sense of exclusion and even alienation. We advance the concept of “aging off center” to describe how repeated experiences of Othering and exclusion shape aging experiences for immigrants of color who are long-term residents of the United States.