Identity and Language

Accents can reveal significant aspects of a person's identity and background, often leading to assumptions about their nationality and experience. This is illustrated by Hannah Terlecka, a physicist from Ukraine, who frequently faces inquiries about her origins based on her accent, prompting feelings of being an outsider despite having lived in the U.S. for nearly two decades. Such experiences contribute to a struggle for foreign scientists to be accepted and understood in American educational settings, where their accents can color perceptions of their competence. The accent not only marks them as different but can also hinder their self-confidence and professional interactions.