Often times West Indian diaspora will experience alienation in their new country of
residence. Clashes in culture including food or language usage can lead to a sense of longing
for ‘home’ or a sense of alienation. Such is the case for the young woman depicted in this
extract. A video portrayal of the scenario would highlight the impact of linguistic factors such
as shunning or condescending attitudes on the young woman’s sense of identity as well as
underscore the attitudes expressed by others towards her use of dialect.
During her job interview, Mr. Channer, the proprietor, exhibits several traits of a
person who deems creole or dialect inappropriate for communication. Mr. Channer’s
nonverbal cues such as his refusal to look up from his newspaper while speaking to the young
woman blatantly display that he does not have respect for creole speakers. Furthermore, his
curt, terse response of “customers simply won’t understand you, dear” is condescending and
serves to demean the young woman. The exchange appears to be commonplace for her as it
is “just another dismissal”.
Consequently, the young woman experiences this on several occasions throughout
her tenure in England. Linguistic factors contributing to her sense of alienation are evident in
the “silent treatment” she experiences from others as well as the “look of pity”. Members of
her new community view her as inferior, causing her to question her own identity and feel
ostracized from the community. This impacts her sense of identity as her trouble assimilating
to the new cultural norms is impacted by the negative attitudes she experiences from the
people around her.
Such supercilious manners may not always be identified through verbal
communication in isolation. It is because of this that a video depiction of the scenario would
serve to highlight the young lady’s sense of alienation and longing. Through a video sequence,
the viewer would be able to observe the non-verbal cues the young woman received from
the people in the boarding house. The actors in the portrayal may avoid eye contact with her
or skirt her when passing her in the hall. Facial expressions and reactions from the young
woman herself would also be illustrated through this medium. During her interaction with
Mr. Channer the audience would be able to see her look of disappointment as well as hear
the tone employed by Mr. Channer. Additionally, a flashback sequence could be included
which would exemplify the young woman longing for her West Indian home thus
underscoring her feeling of alienation in England.
It is evident then that a visual representation of the young woman’s experience in her
new country would serve as a crucial instrument in identifying the non-verbal linguistic factors
which contribute to her sense of isolation in England. Communication is a thread which knits
together members of a community, but it can also be the link which segregates as well. The
experiences of a West Indian woman in England displayed in this extract adequately represent
the situation for many immigrants across the world.