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Reconceptulizing Language Discordance: Meanings and Experiences of Language Barriers in the U.S. and Taiwan

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Abstract

Individuals with language barriers may face challenges unique to a host society. By examining and comparing the sociocultural conditions that can result in providers and patients not sharing the same language in the United States and in Taiwan, I argue that (a) language discordance is a social phenomenon that may entail diverging meanings and experiences in different countries; (b) language-discordant patients may not share similar experiences even if they are in the same country; and (c) disparities in language concordance may be confounded with other disparities and cultural particulars that are unique to a host society. In addition, because English is a dominant language in medicine, language-discordant patients’ quality of care in Taiwan can be moderated by their fluency in English.

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Notes

  1. Traditionally, ben sheng ren refers to all ethnic groups, including Han Chinese, who reside in Taiwan prior to 1945. Wai sheng ren refers to individuals (and their children) who moved from China to Taiwan primarily between 1945 and 1950, when the ROC government lost control of mainland China and resettled in Taiwan.

  2. In early 2015, several legislators proposed to require medical records to be written in Chinese, but faced strong oppositions from many medical associations and healthcare practitioners. The legislation never made it to the floor [12].

  3. During my research period in Taiwan, I was able to obtain immediate eligibility for the NHI as a Fulbright Scholar. However, my husband was not able to join the NHI because an accompanying spouse is not eligible in the first 6 months in Taiwan.

  4. White privilege as a cultural phenomenon in Asia can be reflected in different ways. For example, many women in Taiwan engage in health practices (e.g., getting skin-lightening injections and using “whitening” skincare products) to maintain a light-skin complexion [3].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma, 610 Elm Ave #101, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Elaine Hsieh

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  1. Elaine Hsieh
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Correspondence to Elaine Hsieh.

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Conflict of interests

The author reports no conflicts of interests. The study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at The University of Oklahoma.

Ethical Approval

The study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at The University of Oklahoma.

Informed Consent

All participants have offered informed consent prior to participating in the author’s Fulbright study.

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Hsieh, E. Reconceptulizing Language Discordance: Meanings and Experiences of Language Barriers in the U.S. and Taiwan. J Immigrant Minority Health 20, 1–4 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-017-0556-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-017-0556-x

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