Don’t make these two mistakes when talking about Aboriginal people and communities
(4 mins)
I've put together this quick video with a couple of tips on how to avoid these two language usage mistakes. Avoiding these mistakes could save you and your organisation from embarrassment and serious reputational damage. They're super simple to fix, so check them out.
Want to Improve Your Understanding and Communication with Aboriginal Communities?
Interested in respectful and effective language usage? Book a call with me to learn about two key programs for your organisation:
Aboriginal Cultural Awareness for Workplaces
Respectful Workplaces
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I've noticed a worrying trend over the last couple of years: organisations, with perhaps the best of intentions, are making mistakes when talking about Aboriginal people and communities. Aboriginal people everywhere don't like it, and more are mentioning this to me. I've even seen comments on LinkedIn and elsewhere calling for organisations to stop it. So, I've put together this quick video with a couple of tips on how to avoid these two language usage mistakes. Avoiding these mistakes could save you and your organisation from embarrassment and serious reputational damage. They're super simple to fix, so check them out.
The two mistakes are referring to "the Aboriginal community" or "our Aboriginal community." You do not want to do this. If you're doing it now, the simple answer is: stop. Both "the" and "our" are articles in the English language. When we talk about "the Aboriginal community," we're referring to a very clearly defined Aboriginal community. But this doesn't reflect the diversity of Aboriginal communities or the fact that Aboriginal communities are made up of many different parts and segments. We're not one unified community. We are unified on many things, but we are not one community. So, saying "the Aboriginal community" doesn't work. Instead, we should talk about Aboriginal communities, not "the Aboriginal community."
This is called using a zero article - removing "the" or any article from the term. We use the zero article when talking about something that's not well-defined, which works in terms of how we should be thinking about Aboriginal communities. It is not the Central Coast Aboriginal community; it's Central Coast Aboriginal communities because Aboriginal communities are made up of very different parts. We form communities together, so try to avoid using "the" at the beginning wherever possible.
The second mistake, which I think is even more dangerous and risky for your organisation, is talking about "our Aboriginal people" and "our Aboriginal communities." Unless you're an Aboriginal person, a member of a certain community, that's simply not true. "Our" is also an article, but it's a possessive article. It talks about possession: our home, our life, our desk, our pen. But we don't want you claiming ownership of Aboriginal people or Aboriginal communities. So, if you're saying, "We want to work with our Aboriginal community," you need to stop. Maybe you want to work with local Aboriginal communities or relevant Aboriginal communities, but not "our Aboriginal community." You don't own Aboriginal communities. This idea of possession is putting a lot of Aboriginal people off.
Now, you might be able to talk about "our Aboriginal students" because they're students of your organisation. You might be able to talk about "our Aboriginal clients" or "our Aboriginal staff" because they're staff of your organisation or clients of your organisation. But we are not your community, and we are not your people, so stop using "our."
By making these two small changes, your language and how you speak about Aboriginal people and communities will be a lot better. You will connect more with communities, and you will keep your reputation intact. So, eliminate the words "our" and "the" wherever possible.
Want to Improve Your Understanding and Communication with Aboriginal Communities?
To learn more about respectful and effective language usage when talking with and about Aboriginal people, families, and communities, book a call with me. I offer two comprehensive programs designed to help you and your organisation:
Aboriginal Cultural Awareness for Workplaces: Equip your team with the knowledge and skills to communicate respectfully and effectively with Aboriginal people and communities.
Respectful Workplaces: Implement the seven essential projects to create a safer and more respectful workplace for Aboriginal people. Language Matters is the first project we cover to make sure the whole organisation knows what language to use and how.
Don't miss this opportunity to make a positive impact in your workplace. Book a call here and learn how these programs can benefit you and your organisation.