in the case of outsourced customer service requirements, american customers would rather speak with someone who also has an american accent. despite the relative clarity by which we filipinos speak in english, the--i don't know, familiarity, i guess--of the accent seems to make the clients feel that they're understood. and sometimes filipinos do have their phonetics mixed up (e.g., beach and bitch, fried and pride...). :P
but here in the philippines, where the employees talk with fellow filipinos, i do agree with you that the requirement's bullcrap.
funny lang, 'cause a lot of filipinos have developed better grammar structure than, say, half of the american population. but we're only talking grammar here. :)
yes, a better educational system is much needed. (and better values must be imbued.) :)
I understand this whole comfort of speaking to someone who they think is American...kickasscrazyOctober 21 2005, 00:34:25 UTC
but even in America, not everyone speaks English in a standard way; much to say for the accent.
Sometimes, Americans are even harder to understand with their speed and speech mannerisms.
Most of the older and educated Americans I've met, they take people as they are. They don't question accents. And I just feel it's a funny demand for Call Centers with an American market to demand outsourced CSRs with an American accent. America as it is, is a great big melting pot. And when you have a melting pot, well you have more diversity and this should mean a better understanding for other cultures and idiosynchrasies.
Sa akin lang, bakit hindi nila iniimpose yan sa France? Bakit kahit ang kapal ng French accent while speaking English, ok pa rin? Gets mo ba?
But yes, I've heard of some American professors who complain about how Americans usually have no grammatical discipline.
i don't feel the requirements are discriminatory....simply because these people are technically working for an american company and for american customers. If the customer would be more comfortable talking to someone with an american accent, that's what the customer will get. And honestly, while many people can get their point accross in english...it honestly isn't very good english half the time. Filipinos are known for being able to speak english, but we're lazy about our english and it isn't very good structure wise.
Even if it is an American company, there's such a thing as local culture. That should be greatly considered and respected, and not manipulated for their own benefits especially if they're outsourcing.
In America, not all Americans speak English properly. And they can't just demand all people to do so...
My point is, Americans don't demand these requirements in first world, white nations do they?
You really speak like an American. And I don't mean any offense in that. The way we perceive things is marked by a distinction in culture.
I believe in Europe, they will only require fluent English speaking. Not necessarily with with an American accent.
My point is, we can speak English but mostly not with an American accent. We are comprehensible, and we can communicate and most of us have good grammar (at least those accepted in Call Centers) I think that's sufficient enough to survive and maintain a business. You do not need to put "You have an edge if you speak English with an American accent" in the recruitment posters.
I understand your point, in matters of criteria management though.
I love the pic...and to think it coincided (for me anyway) with your ranting. :P
I think that yes, we Filipinos do have problems with speaking English (i should know...) but then the accent is regional and it's very hard to weed it out, so to say. Yet Filipinos have been known to make it in big companies, not just here but even abroad, even with the hardest regional accent.
So having that kind of requirement in a company (foreign or not) based here in the Philippines is weird.
Hey, just as long as you can communicate elegantly and fluently, right? It's easier to find a non-accented english speaker here than in any other asian country. They should work with that fact.
And what do they mean by American accent? There are as many american accents as there are american states. What do they want? A texan accent (like Bush) or a southern accent? Or a californian accent? Or an east coast accent?
Thanks Jan. I meant it to coincide, you're very perceptive! :) Good job!
I just find it funny, now that I'm job hunting and all. And people seem to take it in like it's the law. People start to fret because they can't speak English with an American accent.
And I agree... just as long as you can communicate elegantly and fluently. Whatever your market is, your market also tends to adjust: it's not always about the demand, nor the supply either. Why can't we just reach a compromise.
I swear, based on our History, Filipinos have not yet developed the right negotiating skills. We are always belittled somehow.
what i find really sad is that we are more comfortable [and i am assuming] having this discussion in english, too. hell, i write - or used to [i'm trying to go tagalog all the way] - in my blog in english. ewan ko. when i studied in an international school four years ago, naiinggit ako sa mga european friends ko na hirap mag-english. is that weird? i dunno. but colonization is probably one of the rare cases when i can say thank you and fuck you at the same time and sincerely mean both. although, the thank you part is still quite sketchy. ewan ko talaga. i feel so hypocritical saying all these things and writing them in english. after all, we grew up with it, pero what do you do when you start wanting to reject it? not completely but just so learning it doesn't come at the expense of us embracing our own tongue. ewan ko ba. -jo anne http://jadpvsenioryear.typepad.com
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but here in the philippines, where the employees talk with fellow filipinos, i do agree with you that the requirement's bullcrap.
funny lang, 'cause a lot of filipinos have developed better grammar structure than, say, half of the american population. but we're only talking grammar here. :)
yes, a better educational system is much needed.
(and better values must be imbued.) :)
Reply
Sometimes, Americans are even harder to understand with their speed and speech mannerisms.
Most of the older and educated Americans I've met, they take people as they are. They don't question accents. And I just feel it's a funny demand for Call Centers with an American market to demand outsourced CSRs with an American accent. America as it is, is a great big melting pot. And when you have a melting pot, well you have more diversity and this should mean a better understanding for other cultures and idiosynchrasies.
Sa akin lang, bakit hindi nila iniimpose yan sa France? Bakit kahit ang kapal ng French accent while speaking English, ok pa rin? Gets mo ba?
But yes, I've heard of some American professors who complain about how Americans usually have no grammatical discipline.
Reply
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Reply
In America, not all Americans speak English properly. And they can't just demand all people to do so...
My point is, Americans don't demand these requirements in first world, white nations do they?
Reply
Reply
The way we perceive things is marked by a distinction in culture.
I believe in Europe, they will only require fluent English speaking. Not necessarily with with an American accent.
My point is, we can speak English but mostly not with an American accent. We are comprehensible, and we can communicate and most of us have good grammar (at least those accepted in Call Centers) I think that's sufficient enough to survive and maintain a business. You do not need to put "You have an edge if you speak English with an American accent" in the recruitment posters.
I understand your point, in matters of criteria management though.
Reply
I think that yes, we Filipinos do have problems with speaking English (i should know...) but then the accent is regional and it's very hard to weed it out, so to say. Yet Filipinos have been known to make it in big companies, not just here but even abroad, even with the hardest regional accent.
So having that kind of requirement in a company (foreign or not) based here in the Philippines is weird.
Hey, just as long as you can communicate elegantly and fluently, right? It's easier to find a non-accented english speaker here than in any other asian country. They should work with that fact.
And what do they mean by American accent? There are as many american accents as there are american states. What do they want? A texan accent (like Bush) or a southern accent? Or a californian accent? Or an east coast accent?
Realy. That's asking too much.
Reply
I meant it to coincide, you're very perceptive! :) Good job!
I just find it funny, now that I'm job hunting and all. And people seem to take it in like it's the law. People start to fret because they can't speak English with an American accent.
And I agree... just as long as you can communicate elegantly and fluently. Whatever your market is, your market also tends to adjust: it's not always about the demand, nor the supply either. Why can't we just reach a compromise.
I swear, based on our History, Filipinos have not yet developed the right negotiating skills. We are always belittled somehow.
Reply
when i studied in an international school four years ago, naiinggit ako sa mga european friends ko na hirap mag-english. is that weird? i dunno. but colonization is probably one of the rare cases when i can say thank you and fuck you at the same time and sincerely mean both. although, the thank you part is still quite sketchy.
ewan ko talaga. i feel so hypocritical saying all these things and writing them in english. after all, we grew up with it, pero what do you do when you start wanting to reject it? not completely but just so learning it doesn't come at the expense of us embracing our own tongue.
ewan ko ba.
-jo anne
http://jadpvsenioryear.typepad.com
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