Linguistic Traps Await Deep-cover Spies
The recent arrest of ten Russian sleeper agents by US authorities has highlighted the linguistic and cultural challenges faced by spies in "deep cover". These agents assume the roles of ordinary American families while secretly gathering intelligence, which makes their operations all the more difficult. Referred to as "special bilinguals", sleeper agents are of particular interest to linguists and cultural theorists alike.
Sleeper agents are unique bilinguals as they must be fluent in their target language to an extent that regular bilinguals do not need to reach. Their goal is to pass as native speakers of the language they are spying on, erasing any trace of a foreign accent or idioms in their speech. To achieve this, they undergo extensive phonetic training. They must also assimilate to the cultural practices and norms of the society they are infiltrating, including adjusting to social and professional settings and using the appropriate language registers.
Where regular bilinguals integrate their languages into their daily lives, sleeper agents must keep their native language completely separate and speak in only one language at all times. They are trained to avoid the interference of their innate language, especially in times of great stress and emotional turmoil, where regular bilinguals may default to their native tongue. Through simulated training, sleeper agents learn to control their automatic responses in such situations.
While regular biculturals adapt to different cultures to varying degrees, sleeper agents must fully immerse themselves in the culture they are spying on, leaving behind their own cultural background. They must assimilate into every aspect of their host culture’s behaviour, values, and attitudes to maintain their cover successfully. This requires constant self-monitoring and training to ensure they remain entirely faithful to their role.
Unlike regular biculturals, the cultural identity of sleeper agents is not a product of their personal history or identity needs. Instead, they must embody the purest form of the culture they are infiltrating, leaving no traces of their native culture in their beliefs or values. To achieve this, they must adhere strictly to their training and constantly monitor their behaviour to avoid slipping from their role.
In conclusion, sleeper agents are a unique and intriguing subset of special bilinguals. Their extensive linguistic and cultural training, along with their ability to fully immerse themselves in a foreign culture, provides valuable insight into the complexities of bilingualism, cultural identity, and deep-cover espionage.
As time passes and people experience life, certain sleeper agents may find themselves embracing the culture of the country they are supposed to be infiltrating, even though they were given explicit orders not to do so. This could potentially mark the start of a transformation in which these sleeper agents become double agents, but that narrative is a story for another day.
François Grosjean, who holds the position of professor emeritus at Neuchâtel University located in Switzerland, is the published author of the compelling book, Bilingual: Life and Reality, which was released by Harvard University Press in 2010.
