accent and dialect :) Flashcards
what is meant by accent?
refers to the pronunciation of word, a regional accent is an accent spoken in a particular area
what is meant by dialect?
refers to vocabulary and grammar, it is a broad term and sometimes includes accent as well, a regional dialect is the dialect of a particular geographical region.
what is received pronunciation (RP)?
the accent associated with upper class speakers of the language, it is sometimes known as ‘BBC English’ or ‘public school English’ , unlike other accents it is not associated with a particular geographical region
what is standard English (SE)?
the dialect (vocabulary and grammar) associated with educated users of the language, it is the form of English considered to be formally ‘correct’ and is used in most written texts, like RP, use of standard English does not indicate regional origin, SE can be spoken with a regional accent.
what are the attitudes towards RP?
RP is the most socially prestigious accent, associated with wealth and social status, competence and authority. In surveys it tends to receive high ratings for qualities such as intelligence, self confidence and determination, however, RP speakers emerge less favourably than speakers with a regional accent in terms of their personal attractiveness, they score less well for qualities such as sincerity, good nature and sense of humour.
what different attitudes are there of urban vs. rural accents?
rural accents (e.g. the Somerset accent) are viewed more positively than urban accents (e.g. Cockney)
what did Howard Giles’ capital punishment experiment suggest?
suggested that people find regional accents more persuasive than the RP accent, he presented five groups of students with an identical set of arguments against capital punishment, one group had a printed text, one heard an RP speaker, another a South Welsh speaker, and the last a Birmingham speaker. Those who read the printed text and heard the RP speaker were most impressed and those who heard the Birmingham speaker the least impressed. Those hearing the regional speakers were more likely to have changed their minds than those hearing the RP speaker or reading printed texts.
why do the attitudes towards RP exist?
it is seen as the accent of the ‘upper’ or ‘ruling’ class (e.g. the royal family are RP speakers)- hence people associate it with authority and status, however most people do not belong to this class and therefore feel socially distanced from it and would not associate it with warmth and attractiveness
why do attitudes towards regional accents exist?
people make connections between accents and their regions, people have a positive view of the countryside and therefore like rural accents
what are the effects of attitudes towards accents?
call centres are located in areas that business will benefit from having accents such as Welsh, Geordie or Scottish, legal system is biased against particular accents and that people with these accents are more likely to be suspected of crime, individual of discrimination are often reported in the press, with some individuals changing their accents because of hostile attitudes, convergence may occur as people move their accent closer to RP as they acquire increased social status, conversely RP speakers may add regional features to their accents so it is easier to mix socially
