ABSTRACT
This chapter presents and discusses the consequences of language discordance for professional social work, focusing primarily on issues at the intersection of language, communication, power, dominance and subordination, representation, linguicism and ultimately, human rights and human dignity. The consequences of how language discordance is dealt with in public service provision are explored. The discussion raises the question of whether this could be different. This question is of critical importance to the future of social work in a multilingual world with language discordance as one of the distinguishing features of this professional practice. In the present as well as in the future, knowing how to work competently without a shared language will be a core skill for all professionals, including social work professionals. It is, thus, necessary to think of language barriers as something that hampers not only minority language speakers, but also public services and service providers. Minimizing the disadvantages of language discordance should be considered a critical and integral area of professional social work practice in the years to come, and a main goal for the development of equitable welfare services in linguistically diverse societies.
