No Language is a Language of the Poor
How Our Linguistic Biases Reveal More About Us Than the Languages We Judge
The Oscar-nominated film 'Emilia Perez,' directed by Jacques Audiard, has sparked significant controversy, particularly regarding its portrayal of language and Mexican culture. At the heart of these discussions lies a problematic statement by Audiard: "L'espagnol est une langue de pays émergents, des pays modestes, de pauvres et de migrants" ("Spanish is a language of developing countries, of modest countries, of the poor and of migrants").
This statement reveals a deep-seated linguistic prejudice that demands closer examination. Let me share with you an important lesson I learned during my master’s sociolinguistics course: what you think about a language is what you think about the people who speak it.
Consider this mental exercise:
Think of your stereotype for a French person
Now, think of your stereotype for the French language
Repeat this for German people and the German language
Chances are, your descriptions align closely. Audiard's dismissive characterization of Spanish betrays an unwillingness to recognize the complexity and progress of Spanish-speaking countries. He overlooks Mexico's significant achievements: economic development, infrastructure improvements, legal reforms, and the election of their first female president.
The film's linguistic authenticity is equally problematic. A Mexican linguist colleague describes the movie's language as a "Frankenstein-like dialect" - a patchwork of stereotypical Mexican words cobbled together from different regions and time periods. This linguistic mishmash demonstrates a fundamental lack of research and respect for linguistic nuance.
As someone who traveled to Mexico shortly after watching the film, I was struck by how dramatically the movie's portrayal differs from reality. During a two-week trip with my parents - their first visit to Mexico - we encountered nothing of the fear-inducing scenario the film suggests. The news media's persistent focus on crime, now amplified by films like 'Emilia Perez,' creates a dangerously skewed narrative.
The film ultimately chooses sensationalism over authenticity. Narcotrafficking sells and is easy, genuine cultural complexity takes effort.
So I challenge you: The next time you form an opinion about a language, pause. Ask yourself if that same opinion applies to its speakers. You might be surprised by what you discover.