What’s in a word?

Abstract In this article, we unpack what we believe to be a discriminatory and discrediting label afforded to growing populations of Australians — Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD). This term is used to describe everyone who is not Aboriginal or Torres Islander or Anglo-Saxon/Anglo-Celtic. Through qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth ethnographic interviews and thematic analysis, including some abductive analysis, we aimed to investigate how those labelled CaLD experienced this term, including their feelings about being constructed as CaLD, and how they believed they were impacted by this label. Using both labelling theory ( Durkheim, 1938 ) and linguistic racism theory ( Tankosić & Dovchin, 2023 ), we argue that while the term CaLD was originally intended as ‘inclusionary othering,’ the category perpetuates monolithic othering on the basis of language and culture, masking a broad range of ethnic identities common to Australia and upholding systemic practices of subjugation such as linguistic racism as mechanisms for continued ideological, political, and social dominance. Individuals to whom this label is applied continually walk the tightrope between the access and affordances it may offer and its capacity to both highlight and erase difference. The study’s implications indicate there needs to be greater consultation with the communities involved about terms used to label and set them apart.