1887
Volume 34, Issue 2
  • ISSN 0155-0640
  • E-ISSN: 1833-7139

Abstract

Sociolinguistic research on attitudes towards language has revealed that native speakers of English are drawn towards those who share their native accent and respond cautiously, perhaps negatively, towards those speaking in ‘accented’ English (Lambert, Hodgson, Gardner & Fillenbaum, 1960; Rubin, 1992). These perceptions greatly disadvantage migrants in competitive job and educational markets. This study investigated perceptions held by Australian university students learning foreign languages towards lecturers with non-standard English accents. The investigators used a modified matched-guised technique to test students’ responses to speech samples from six speakers, one Australian born and raised and five foreign born and raised. Results contrasted clearly with those of previous studies; students rated those who they heard as ‘accented’ speakers highly in many personality dimensions, suggesting the students’ greater readiness to accept foreign accents. The results highlight the importance of foreign language learning in fostering acceptance of linguistic and cultural difference and in facilitating mutual understanding among groups, particularly in multicultural societies.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/aral.34.2.05eis
2011-01-01
2024-10-12
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Anderson-Clark, T. N. , Green, R. J. & Henley, T. B.
    (2008) The relationship between first names and teacher expectations for achievement motivation. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 27 (1), 94–99. doi: 10.1177/0261927X07309514
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X07309514 [Google Scholar]
  2. Ball, P.
    (1983) Stereotypes of Anglo-Saxon and non-Anglo-Saxon accents: Some exploratory Australian studies with the matched guise technique. Language Sciences, 5 (2), 163–183. doi: 10.1016/S0388‑0001(83)80021‑7
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0388-0001(83)80021-7 [Google Scholar]
  3. Bayard, D. , Weatherall, A. , Gallois, C. & Pittam, J. F.
    (2001) Pax Americana: Accent attitudinal evaluations in New Zealand, Australia, and America. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 5, 22–49. doi: 10.1111/1467‑9481.00136
    https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00136 [Google Scholar]
  4. Bresnahan, M. J. , Ohashi, R. , Nebashi, R. , Liu, W. Y. & Morinaga Shearman, S.
    (2002) Attitudinal and affective response toward accented English. Language and Communication, 22, 171–185. doi: 10.1016/S0271‑5309(01)00025‑8
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0271-5309(01)00025-8 [Google Scholar]
  5. Callan, V. J. & Gallois, C.
    (1982) Language attitudes of Italo-Australian and Greek-Australian bilinguals. International Journal of Psychology, 17, 345–358. doi: 10.1080/00207598208247450
    https://doi.org/10.1080/00207598208247450 [Google Scholar]
  6. (1983) Anglo-Australian attitudes towards immigrants: A review of survey evidence. International Migration Review, 17 (1), 120–137. doi: 10.2307/2545926
    https://doi.org/10.2307/2545926 [Google Scholar]
  7. (1987) Anglo-Australians’ and immigrants’ attitudes toward language and accent: A review of experimental and survey research. International Migration Review, 21 (1), 48–69. doi: 10.2307/2546129
    https://doi.org/10.2307/2546129 [Google Scholar]
  8. Chiba, R. , Matsuura, H. & Yamamoto, A.
    (1995) Japanese attitudes towards English accents. World Englishes., 14 (1), 77–86. doi: 10.1111/j.1467‑971X.1995.tb00341.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971X.1995.tb00341.x [Google Scholar]
  9. Clyne, M.
    (2008, July 8) Bi- and multilingualism. Lecture delivered at the Australian Linguistics Institute.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Dalton-Puffer, C. , Kaltenboeck, G. & Smit, U.
    (1997) Learner attitudes and L2 pronunciation in Austria. World Englishes, 16 (1), 115–128. doi: 10.1111/1467‑971X.00052
    https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-971X.00052 [Google Scholar]
  11. Devos, A.
    (2003) Academic standards, internationalization and the discursive construction of the international student. Higher Education Research and Development, 22 (2), 155–166. doi: 10.1080/07294360304107
    https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360304107 [Google Scholar]
  12. Elhoweris, H. , Mutua, K. , Alsheikh, N. & Holloway, P.
    (2005) Effect of children’s ethnicity on teachers’ referral and recommendation decisions in gifted and talented programs. Remedial and Special Education, 26 (1), 25–31. doi: 10.1177/07419325050260010401
    https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325050260010401 [Google Scholar]
  13. Eltis, K.
    (1980) Pupil’s speech-style and teacher evaluation: Implications from some Australian data. English in Australia, 25, 27–35.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Ford, C. E.
    (1984) The influence of speech variety on teachers’ evaluation of students with comparable academic ability. TESOL Quarterly, 18 (1), 25–40. doi: 10.2307/3586333
    https://doi.org/10.2307/3586333 [Google Scholar]
  15. Gass, S. & Varonis, E. M.
    (1984) The effect of familiarity and comprehensibility of nonnative speech. Language Learning, 34, 65–89. doi: 10.1111/j.1467‑1770.1984.tb00996.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1984.tb00996.x [Google Scholar]
  16. George Mason University
    George Mason University (2001) The speech accent archive. Retrieved fromaccent.gmu.edu/browse.php.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Giles, H. , Wilson, P. & Conway, A.
    (1981) Accent and lexical diversity as determinants of impression formation and perceived employment suitability. Language Sciences, 3 (1), 91–103. doi: 10.1016/S0388‑0001(81)80015‑0
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0388-0001(81)80015-0 [Google Scholar]
  18. Godley, A. J. , Sweetland, J. , Wheeler, R. S. , Minnici, A. & Carpenter, B. D.
    (2006) Preparing teachers for dialectally diverse classrooms. Educational Researcher, 35 (8), 30–37. doi: 10.3102/0013189X035008030
    https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X035008030 [Google Scholar]
  19. Graddol, D.
    (2004) The future of language. Science, 27 (303), 1329–1331. doi: 10.1126/science.1096546
    https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1096546 [Google Scholar]
  20. Lambert, W. E. , Hodgson, R. C. , Gardner, R. C. & Fillenbaum, S.
    (1960) Evaluational reactions to spoken language. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 60 (1), 44–51. doi: 10.1037/h0044430
    https://doi.org/10.1037/h0044430 [Google Scholar]
  21. Lindemann, S.
    (2002) Listening with an attitude: A model of native-speaker comprehension of nonnative speakers in the United States. Language in Society, 31 (3), 419–441. doi: 10.1017/S0047404502020286
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404502020286 [Google Scholar]
  22. (2003) Koreans, Chinese or Indians? Attitudes and ideologies about non-native English speakers in the United States. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 7 (3), 348–364. doi: 10.1111/1467‑9481.00228
    https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00228 [Google Scholar]
  23. Lippi-Green, R.
    (1994) Standard language ideology, and discriminatory pretext in the courts. Language in Society, 23 (2), 163–198. doi: 10.1017/S0047404500017826
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500017826 [Google Scholar]
  24. Liu, M. & Jackson, J.
    (2008) An exploration of Chinese EFL learners’ unwillingness to communicate and foreign language anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 92 (3), 71–86. doi: 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.2008.00687.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00687.x [Google Scholar]
  25. Munro, M. J. & Derwing, T. M.
    (1995) Foreign accent, comprehensibility and intelligibility in the speech of second language learners. Language Learning, 45, 73–97. doi: 10.1111/j.1467‑1770.1995.tb00963.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1995.tb00963.x [Google Scholar]
  26. Munro, M. J. , Derwing, T. M. & Sato, K.
    (2006) Salient accents, covert attitudes: Consciousness raising pre-service second language teachers. Prospect, 21 (1), 67–79.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Murray, D.
    (2008, March 9) UQ law lecturer stood down over accent. The Courier Mail. Retrieved fromwww.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/law-lecturer-stood-down/story-e6freoof-1111115747797.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Nakane, I.
    (2006) Silence and politeness in intercultural communication in university seminars. Journal of Pragmatics, 38 (11), 1811–1835. doi: 10.1016/j.pragma.2006.01.005
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2006.01.005 [Google Scholar]
  29. Plakans, B. S.
    (1997) Undergraduates’ experiences with and attitudes toward international teaching assistants. TESOL Quarterly, 31 (1), 95–119. doi: 10.2307/3587976
    https://doi.org/10.2307/3587976 [Google Scholar]
  30. Purnell, T. , Idsardi, W. & Baugh, J.
    (1999) Perceptual and phonetic experiments on American English dialect identification. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 18 (1), 10–30. doi: 10.1177/0261927X99018001002
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X99018001002 [Google Scholar]
  31. Riches, P. & Foddy, M.
    (1989) Ethnic accent as a status cue. Social Psychology Quarterly, 52 (3), 197–206. doi: 10.2307/2786714
    https://doi.org/10.2307/2786714 [Google Scholar]
  32. Rubin, D. L.
    (1992) Nonlanguage factors affecting undergraduates’ judgements of nonnative Englishspeaking teaching assistants. Research in Higher Education, 33 (4), 511–531. doi: 10.1007/BF00973770
    https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00973770 [Google Scholar]
  33. Seggie, I. , Fulmizi, C. & Stewart, J.
    (1982) Evaluations of personality traits and employment suitability based on various Australian accents. Australian Journal of Psychology, 34, 345–357. doi: 10.1080/00049538208254729
    https://doi.org/10.1080/00049538208254729 [Google Scholar]
  34. Williams, F. , Whitehead, J. L. & Miller, L.
    (1972) Relations between language attitudes and teacher expectancy. American Educational Research Journal, 9 (2), 263–277. doi: 10.3102/00028312009002263
    https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312009002263 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/aral.34.2.05eis
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): foreign accent; matched-guised technique; perception
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error