LINGUISTICS
PAGE 23
LANGUAGE
WATCH YOUR WORDS: THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC NUANCES OF “INDIGENOUS”
BY YUNA JEON The modern media diet often consists of investigative and informative content across news and social media platforms. With social movements and vigorous activism as present forces behind the curation and circulation of such content, I’ve noticed an increased awareness of and contemplation on identity verbiage. I spotlight sociolinguistic implications that must be digested and distinguished from one another when engaging in conversations regarding the Indigenous identity and experience. Respect the “I” According to Christine Weeber, an editor at the digital anthropology publication SAPIENS, the word “indigenous” with a lowercase “i” and the word “Indigenous” with a capitalized “I” have different connotations.
