The language of progressive America
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When I left London for California almost two years ago, I took comfort in the fact that the UK and the US share a common language. However, the profound differences in how English is used in both places is what I have noticed most since arriving in Silicon Valley.
I had learned English as a teenager, but it was only when I started working for British companies that I began to understand the many nuances of British English. I quickly found out that when my British boss said he only “had a few comments” on my papers, he really meant that I should rewrite them entirely; that when he described my argument as “interesting”’ he meant it was rubbish; and that when he claimed we were having a “bit of an issue” with something, we were in fact facing disaster. Over the years I have embraced with relish those British subtleties: I often find myself saying somebody is “not quite right” when they are wholly inadequate; that they are “rather good” when they are impressive; and I start sentences with “I am by no means an expert” on something when I know there is nobody else in the room who understands that particular subject better than I do. Playfulness, irony and a self-deprecating undertone are the trademarks of British English.
By contrast, the brand of English in California is upfront; self-deprecation is interpreted as a sign of weakness; understatements are considered weird; and irony is a rare thing. Everything in America is big: nature, houses, cars, food – as is also their English. Californians speak big: nothing is “alright”, or “fine” – instead it is “awesome”, “terrific”, “tremendous” or “epic”’. The word “deep” is applied liberally: they feel “deeply”, understand “deeply”, mean “deeply”, love “deeply”, believe “deeply”. They do not just state their views but rather “speak truth” and do so without any hint of self-doubt or hesitation. The most commonly used sentence is “I am so excited” (emphasising the “so”, as excitement on its own does not quite cut it). And nobody uses “-ish” to qualify an adverb.
There is something bracing about this self-confident and vivid use of language. But it is also no coincidence that a place where language is used so assertively is the birthplace of the movement that believes social progress can be achieved by simply altering language. California is the cradle of the progressive trend that focuses on individual identity, rather than on securing the rights of the collective. It implies a quasi-religious belief that eliminating any offensive language around individual identity could lead on its own to a new reality; and as a result, progress often stops at the level of linguistic correctness and words, rather than seeking concrete and meaningful change. It is a progressivism that was born in California, but has subsequently spread to many countries around the world.
The clearest trademark of that movement is the focus on how individuals should be addressed, as opposed to what socio-economic rights they should have. Of course, there is a link – disparaging language is often the sign of socio-economic inequality – but linguistic alterations alone do not deliver lasting justice. For instance, more effort is put in California into arguing about the labels for socially disadvantaged Latinos (Latinx’ rather than the gendered ‘Latinos’ or ‘Latinas’) than into improving in a meaningful way their access to health, housing or education (and that despite most Latinos speaking Spanish, which is indeed a gendered language).
That progressive movement focused on the use of language makes up a very substantial part of the current Democratic Party – a party that is as polarised as is the US as a whole. President Elect Joe Biden faces many challenges: from setting up a workable vaccine distribution system, to dealing with the economic recession, unifying America, or reviving the American leadership of the democratic world. But one of his main challenges will be restoring the concept of “real” progress at the very core of the Democratic Party. A progress based on actual reforms and tangible improvements in the access to economic opportunities which deliver effective social mobility. A progress that is based not just on words, but on actions.
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