Aminata Camara

Professor Amy Albuerme Oìie

English 110

Dec 17, 2025

For Translation 2, my visual argument is based on an important idea from my Synthesis Essay about accent discrimination and the way people often judge others’ intelligence based on how they speak English. I want this visual to clearly show that accents are not signs of being uneducated, less capable, or less intelligent, but are actually signs of multilingualism, cultural background, and life experiences such as immigration and growing up in different communities. This idea matters to me because accent discrimination is very common, especially in schools, and many people do it without even realizing they are being unfair or harmful. My intended audience is mainly high school and college students, since they interact with people from many different backgrounds every day and are still forming their beliefs about language, identity, and intelligence. Many students care about fairness, respect, and inclusion, but they may not stop to think about how judging someone’s accent can affect their confidence, participation in class, or sense of belonging. What appeals to this audience are visuals that are relatable, emotional, and easy to understand at a glance, while what turns them off are long paragraphs of text, complicated vocabulary, or messages that feel like they are lecturing or attacking them. Because of this, I chose the genre of a poster or digital slide that could be hung up in a classroom, shown during a presentation, or shared on social media, since posters are meant to catch attention quickly and leave a strong impression. This genre works well because it allows me to make a clear claim in a short amount of time using images and design instead of long explanations. I plan to mostly follow the expectations of this genre by using a bold central image and a short, powerful message, but I may also slightly challenge typical poster expectations by including a thoughtful quote or phrase that encourages deeper thinking rather than just a catchy slogan. The language in my visual argument will be simple, direct, and conversational so that anyone can understand it, even if they only look at the poster for a few seconds. The tone will be serious but respectful and encouraging, not aggressive or judgmental, because my goal is to make people reflect on their assumptions rather than feel defensive. Phrases like “Different voice, same intelligence,” “An accent means more than one language,” or “Your accent tells your story” help communicate the message clearly without blaming the audience. In terms of design, I would include an image that represents many different voices and backgrounds, such as speech bubbles, silhouettes of people, or faces speaking in different ways, to visually show diversity and inclusion. The text would be bold and easy to read, with the main message placed in the center so it stands out the most, and supporting words placed around it in a balanced layout. I would use warm or neutral colors to make the poster feel welcoming and safe rather than harsh or confrontational. The overall design would be clean and organized so viewers are not overwhelmed and can quickly understand the point. Overall, this visual argument translates my written ideas into a more immediate and emotional form, showing rather than just explaining why accent discrimination is unfair. By turning my argument into a visual, I hope viewers will stop, think, and reconsider the way they judge others based on how they speak. In the end, this project reinforces my main claim that English does not define a person’s intelligence, worth, or potential, but only represents one part of their identity and personal story.