aerial view of Western's campus at night, with golden lights surrounded by dark trees

Anthropology’s Judith Pine speaks on connection between race and language on podcast

By Frances Badgett

WWU Communications

In the podcast “The Inextricable Link Between Race and Language” hosted by WWU Honors student Maya Gersh, Professor of Anthropology and linguistic anthropologist Judith Pine speaks about the way language shapes and is shaped by racial dynamics.

“The notion that there actually empirically is anywhere in existence a standard language is flawed, there isn’t any evidence for that,” said Pine in the podcast.

Pine’s argument is that ethnographically a simple, static, standard language doesn’t exist. Language changes, shifts, and is built to reflect culture and ethnic context. 

“But the insistence that a standard does exist has a real impact on society,” said Pine.

To listen to the full podcast, follow this link.

Frances Badgett covers the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Fine and Performing Arts Communications. Reach out to her with story ideas at badgetf@wwu.edu.