Leveraging the Power of Language for Change

We use language to think, to understand and, most importantly, to communicate. The language we use influences not only our thoughts and actions but how others perceive and act on the subject of discussion. Often, however, the significance of the language we use is overlooked, leading to adverse interactions within our daily interpersonal communication. As Prosperity Now continues to cultivate solutions that bridge the divide between the wealthy and those who live paycheck-to-paycheck, we must also shine a light on how the language we use reflects how we and others see the world and the power language has to influence our work.

Language Shapes Reality

According to the linguistic relativity hypothesis, language feeds into thinking, actually shaping how we think. One of the best examples of this is how the Greek language has distinct terms for light and dark blue (“ghalazio” and “ble” respectively). Because of this, native Greek speakers tend to differentiate similar colors more easily than English speakers who only have one term for blue. This means that they think in more distinct terms and, in turn, see the world in a more distinct light.

Similarly, being specific about how we refer to people and communities can help us and our audiences see them as defined communities with unique needs. Using more accurate language also ensures that we’re speaking to and addressing the problems that specific communities face rather than providing catch-all band-aids.

The Power of Language

One of the most salient powers of language is its ability to instigate and sustain economic, social and political hegemonies. The language we use in discussions about racism, sexism and other social topics often displays unconscious biases about the subject being spoken of. The linguistic category model examines this power dynamic in terms of the way verbs go from concrete to abstract:

• Descriptive action verbs that depict objective actions (e.g., “tell”)
• Interpretative action verbs that are more subjective (e.g., “hurt”)
• State verbs that describe a state of being (e.g., “hate”)

As these verbs increase in abstraction, the language starts to represent a particular behavior that becomes attributed to the subject being spoken of rather than the situation. As a result, whatever image of the subject that was presented will persist despite information later provided to the contrary. Conversely, using concrete language attributes behavior to the situation more than the protagonist and also makes it easier to change the image with new information. Additionally, the linguistic intergroup bias model (Maass, 1999) states that abstract language is often used to represent positive in-group behaviors and negative out-group behaviors. This means that using abstract language can lead to biased explanations of behavior that favor the in-group over the out-group and perpetuate prejudiced out-group stereotypes.

Ultimately, the words we use when talking about race and racial wealth equity have an immense impact on how these concepts are understood and acted upon. Using the wrong language can hinder our efforts and muffle our messages, no matter how noble the mission is. The way we use language will prove vital to the returns we receive from our investments in advocacy.

Starting the Conversation

As advocates, practitioners and policymakers, we have a tremendous responsibility and a significant amount of power to change the social and political narratives in our communities. In the same vein, as a multicultural country, the realities of how race affects our lives can’t be ignored. Despite the complexities of language, we must be prepared to talk about race if we are to be successful in our efforts. Doing this well means adapting our language to fit the context and being mindful of how words create perceptions. To this end, Prosperity Now’s Racial Wealth Divide Initiative has developed a powerful tool, the Communicating on Race and Racial Economic Equity guide, that provides a framework for discussing race, ethnicity and discrimination as well as a glossary of accurate terminology, design guidelines for visually depicting diverse communities, and best practices and recommendations for speaking on race and ethnicity.

We hope that you consider this guidance on racial, economic and wealth equity when designing, developing and evaluating programs, practices and policies intended to center racial equity and impact structural inequality. We also encourage you to share this valuable resource with your networks and help spread the idea that words matter.