To think rejecting someone for job on the basis of their “strong Welsh accent” is disgusting and discriminatory?

CounsellorTroi · 2022-03-22T17:45:06+00:00

I hope she gets bsomewhere with a discrimination case. [[https://nation.cymru/news/cardiff-woman-who-posted-rejection-letter-blaming-her-strong-welsh-accent-offered-legal-help/]]

TrashyPanda · 22/03/2022 17:48

Thats awful

whiteroseredrose · 22/03/2022 17:52

It depends on how strong her accent is, and what the role is. I had a Scottish colleague when I worked in London. His accent was really strong and quite a few of us genuinely couldn't understand him. His friend acted as interpreter.

He was fine in a creative role, but it would not have worked if he was in a telephone based role.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 22/03/2022 17:54

Not enough information - for a start what does the thing about "regional activities" mean, and what (and more to the point where) was the job?

I've had to reject candidates because of impenetrable
accents myeslf, but it's very context-dependent and while it could be discrimination I wouldn't automatically leap to that conclusion

Original poster

CounsellorTroi · 22/03/2022 17:56

@whiteroseredrose

It depends on how strong her accent is, and what the role is. I had a Scottish colleague when I worked in London. His accent was really strong and quite a few of us genuinely couldn't understand him. His friend acted as interpreter.

He was fine in a creative role, but it would not have worked if he was in a telephone based role.

Welsh accents are not impenetrable in the way some others can be.

OP posts:

ilovesooty · 22/03/2022 17:56

It seems they don't like her political activities either. I can't believe they were stupid enough to write that to her.

RisingMoon · 22/03/2022 17:57

What are her “regional activities?” That sounds dubious - what is she doing as an activity that could make her unwanted for the job?

And who actually ever is stupid enough to open themselves up to liability by stating the reasons for not hiring someone?

Fairislefandango · 22/03/2022 17:59

Welsh accents are not impenetrable in the way some others can be.

That's a very subjective view. People find a variety of strong accents hard to understand. It probably partly depends in what their own accent is like. The fact that you seem to be admitting that some accents are impenetrable implies that they could be very problematic in some jobs.

OfstedOffred · 22/03/2022 18:02

We've had to reject a candidate for a role due to a very strong accent. Role involved working with kids. They couldn't understand her. We couldnt give her the job.

Burnername101 · 22/03/2022 18:06

I’ve been rejected from a job because of a strong regional accent too

Was irritating because they admitted I was the best qualified by a mile… but felt that all that knowledge was useless if no one could understand me.

Crimesean · 22/03/2022 18:12

It depends whether the individual's speech was understandable by most people - if not, it would definitely be a problem in a lot of roles.

My brother had a lecturer at uni whom almost none of the students could understand - it was awful, most of the year failed that topic or got far lower marks than in other areas. It still took the uni 4 years to get rid of him (the lecturer I mean, not my DB!).

RampantIvy · 22/03/2022 18:16

I agree it depends on the role. If it had been telesales or a call centre job I can see why a strong accent might be difficult. This was one of the main reasons that a lot of call centre work that was outsourced to India was brought back here.

My brother had a lecturer at uni whom almost none of the students could understand

This happened to DD. One of her lecturers was French and had such a strong accent that she couldn't understand him. It was the main reason she decided not to choose the module he was lecturing in.

AngelinaFibres · 22/03/2022 18:16

@Burnername101

I’ve been rejected from a job because of a strong regional accent too

Was irritating because they admitted I was the best qualified by a mile… but felt that all that knowledge was useless if no one could understand me.

I had to phone a call centre recently. The man who answered turned out to be very helpful and all was resolved. However he had a Liverpudlian accent that was very strong and he spoke so quickly I had no idea what he was saying . I asked him if he could speak a little bit slower, which he did, and it was fine. If he hadn't I wouldn't have had a clue

TrashyPanda · 22/03/2022 18:17

@whiteroseredrose

It depends on how strong her accent is, and what the role is. I had a Scottish colleague when I worked in London. His accent was really strong and quite a few of us genuinely couldn't understand him. His friend acted as interpreter.

He was fine in a creative role, but it would not have worked if he was in a telephone based role.

Shock, horror - different people have different accents. The people on the other end of the phone might struggle with London accents and welcome a Scottish chap. Or a Welsh lady.

I remember the time when the BBC News subtitled Scottish people in an interview. That went down well. Not.

meanwhile, they had no issues with English presenters saying things like “draw-ring”. Biased or what?

AngelinaFibres · 22/03/2022 18:18

@RampantIvy

I agree it depends on the role. If it had been telesales or a call centre job I can see why a strong accent might be difficult. This was one of the main reasons that a lot of call centre work that was outsourced to India was brought back here.

My brother had a lecturer at uni whom almost none of the students could understand

This happened to DD. One of her lecturers was French and had such a strong accent that she couldn't understand him. It was the main reason she decided not to choose the module he was lecturing in.

Chinese lecturer for my son. Strong accent and very quiet way of speaking. The students complained in the end as they had absolutely no idea what he was saying

DetailMouse · 22/03/2022 18:19

I had a chemistry teacher with a strong Welsh accent. I honestly didn't understand a word he said for the first half term, but you do get used to it.

We've actually settled a race discrimination case where someone complained about not being able to understand a staff member with a Nigerian accent.

ufucoffee · 22/03/2022 18:19

'Welsh accents are not impenetrable in the way some others can be'

I think they are. Didn't you watch the valleys?

elbea · 22/03/2022 18:20

We had a lecturer at uni, apparently one of the leading world in his field. Nobody could understand his accent and he constantly made mistakes that meant what he was saying was wrong. People just stopped going to his lectures. I would say certain jobs need people that others can easily understand.

ParisLondonTokyoSlough · 22/03/2022 18:21

Welsh accents are not impenetrable in the way some others can be.

You’re probably use to Welsh accents. If you’ve ever hear a thick fast-talking Valleys accent (think Aberdare rather than Caerphilly) for the first time, then it can be really tricky to understand.

SnotMikeUpPuffedHe · 22/03/2022 18:21

I saw her comment on twitter where she implies she's never been told her accent was strong before, which makes me think it isn't, particularly.

People's perceptions of accent can be a bit bonkers. My DH went to a conference recently and chatting as he checked in, the staff commented they could tell he has come down from West Wales because of his 'strong Welsh accent'. I can't detect any Welsh in his accent; he's from a very english-speaking part of South Wales.

Obviously it's hard to judge your own accent but honestly if he sounds Welsh at all he's slightly less Welsh that Huw Edwards, the newsreader.

So from experience I don't even necessarily think she had a particularly strong accent for someone to say this.

Morfil · 22/03/2022 18:22

Here’s a video of her speaking.

twitter.com/elunedanderson/status/1293230620689281024?s=21

Does anybody have any difficulty, whatsoever, in understanding her? I certainly don’t.

RampantIvy · 22/03/2022 18:25

Neither do I @Morfil

Original poster

CounsellorTroi · 22/03/2022 18:25

She’s from Cardiff. She’s highly unlikely to have a thick impenetrable accent.

OP posts:

Puzzledandpissedoff · 22/03/2022 18:26

My brother had a lecturer at uni whom almost none of the students could understand

Obvious question I know, but what on earth were the Uni doing appointing them in the first place?

Accents don't tend to get stronger (though the reverse can be true) and surely teaching's one of those areas where communication is vital

SnotMikeUpPuffedHe · 22/03/2022 18:27

Cross-posted with Morfil - that is not a strong Welsh accent. I think the (non) hiring firm might well be in trouble there.

RisingMoon · 22/03/2022 18:27

Does anybody have any difficulty, whatsoever, in understanding her? I certainly don’t.

I didn’t. She speaks clearly. And I have a particular deficit when it comes to understanding accents that aren’t similar to mine.