What a Privilege to Have an Accent or Broken English

Photo by Pang Khang Photography

This entry is dedicated to myself, my sister or anyone who has ever felt their English language proficiency validated their worth. In fact, their lack of English is actually the most beautiful part about them. It means you come from different worlds, with different experiences, views, and goals.

Although I wasn’t born in the United States, I started school in pre-school or pre-kindergarten like any other kids born here. Studies show that you pick up language easier the younger you are. Therefore, I don’t have as much of an accent like my older sisters. They started in grades that was appropriate for their age and had to accelerate their learning to consume the information they learned in a language which was completely foreign to them at that time. Since they were older when they learned English, some of them carry an accent with them when they speak the language. It really isn’t a big deal for every day conversation, but it is when it comes to a job.

One of my sisters felt her English speaking level was a decision factor to a position she wanted and didn’t get. Of course, due to legal reasons (like discrimination), that was never disclosed by the employer. But being the strong person my mom raised all of us to be, she didn’t make an excuse out of the situation. She’s not the type to spend too much time counting her losses, so she simply moved on and found a place that appreciated her.

As a minority, many of us are alone in the jobs we have. We’re barely 1% of a group. Being the only Hmong person isn’t foreign to me; I’m used to it. I just got my review and I couldn’t help it, but be reminded of my sister’s experience. How would anyone else at my job understand what it’s like to be bilingual? How can they ever understand how skilled I am to turn on and off my language processor? And because of that ability, I am beyond their level of coordination about almost everything but the English language. For someone with a college degree and lived in the States since 1993, my English speaking and writing still lacks. This showed me that nothing is safe; I’m not safe. There’s no job security when you work for someone else.

And that’s all fine. With my broken English, I saw how beautiful everything else was about me. I wake up every day knowing I can speak one more language than everyone at my work place and now I wonder how anyone lives a life knowing only one language their entire life. If anything, I see language as currency, so I’m pretty rich. English is just one thing that I lack, but I am independent when it comes to following directions, showing up every day to be someone they can count on, and meeting deadlines. On top of all of that, I think kindness, welcoming, and love is a universal language. But it’s ok, like the lyrics by BTS in “Idol,” I’m in love with myself. I’m in love with my broken English. It reminds me where I came from and who/what I don’t want to be like.

I know what I am (I know what I am)
I know what I want (I know what I want)
I never gon’ change (I never gon' change)
I never gon’ trade