accent & dialect Flashcards

1
Q

What are different terms for World Englishes?

A
  • Lingua Franca
  • Global English
  • International English
  • World Englishes
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2
Q

What is a Lingua Franca?

A

A language that speakers have in common where it is no ones first language

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3
Q

What is Global English?

A

The idea that English is a wide spread language, a united form of English

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4
Q

What is International English?

A

A useful overall term to describe: Lingua Franca, Global English and World Englishes

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5
Q

What are Schneider’s 5 phases of post-colonial variation?

A

Phase 1: Foundation - English first appears in new territory
Phase 2: Exonormative Standardisation - Begins to be used, looks outside norms and standards
Phase 3: Nativisation - Original language and new language becomes linked
Phase 4: Endonormative Standardisation - Being spoken and develops new norms and standards
Phase 5: Differentiation - New variety develops its own regional and social differences

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6
Q

What are the 3 layers in Kachru’s circles?

A

Inner circle: English Native Language - norm-provider
Middle circle: English Second Language - norm-developing
Outer circle: English Foreign Language - norm-dependent

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7
Q

Evaluation of Kachru’s circle theory

A

Strengths:
- Inclusive as it has 3 big groups of Englishes
- A simple and basic theory to grapple with

Limitations:
- Implies and English Language Hierarchy, making the ENL more superior - creating prejudice

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8
Q

What is McArthur’s theory on The Circle of World English?

A

Proposes a different circle theory:
- World Standard English in the centre
- Regional variations in the outer circle including both standard and non-standard English
- Subvariations of the regions in the expanding circle

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9
Q

Evaluation of McArthur’s Circle of World Englishes

A

Strengths:
- Visibly more inclusive, it shows different varieties and includes ENL and ESL

Limitations:
- Doesn’t include bilingual or multilingual and English code-blending (Spanglish)
- Doesn’t expand of what “World Standard English” is; David Crystal criticises that concept as it is spoken in a wide variety of accents so can’t be used as a generalised term

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10
Q

What is Modiano circle theory?

A
  • The centre consists of users who use English as an International language
  • The second circles have features that become internationally common or fall into obscurity
  • Outer areas are 5 groups: British English, American English, Foreign Language Speakers, Major Varieties (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) and Other varieties. Each area has their own features which are unlikely to be understood by others
  • All viewed as equal
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11
Q

Evaluation of Modiano’s circle theory

A

Strengths:
- Has an acceptance of change, fluid with English International Language
- Doesn’t imply hierarchy

Limitations:
- Some variations are understood by others meaning what the theory is suggested isn’t 100% accurate
- The diagram doesn’t emphasise the fact that each variety is equal

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12
Q

What’s the difference between voiced and unvoiced consonants?

A

Voiced: the vocal cords touch and vibrate to make a sound, e.g. B

Unvoiced: the vocal cords don’t touch and don’t vibrate to make a sound, e.g. P

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13
Q

What is a Monophthong?

A

Means “one single sound”. Example: In “bat” the vowel makes a single sound

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14
Q

What is a Diphthong?

A

Means “two sounds”. Example: In “late” the vowel stretches and shifts towards a second sound

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15
Q

What is Received Pronunciation (RP)?

A

The accent of standard English

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16
Q

What is prestige?

A

The level of respect granted to a person or thing

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17
Q

What is overt prestige?

A

Defined as the accent/dialect spoken to gain social status within the wider community - the “standard”. Is often perceived as the elite or the socially dominant group

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18
Q

What is covert prestige?

A

Defined as the accent/dialect spoken to belong to a certain community - the “non-standard”. Viewed by the elite as being inferior and isn’t accepted by the majority, but you can earn respect in your own community

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19
Q

What are some features of the RP accent?

A
  • Avoidance of diphthongs
  • Avoidance of open mouthed vowels
  • Non-rhotic (no /r/ sound)
  • Monotone
  • Thank –> pronounced thenk
  • No dropping of letters
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20
Q

What is the schwa sound?

(Cockney)

A

Strong and more pronounced

Doctor —> docta

21
Q

What is H-dropping?

(Cockney)

A

No pronunciation of the /h/ in words

Where’s his house —> w’ere’s ‘is ‘ouse

22
Q

What is a glottal stop?

(Cockney)

A

Throat sound

Water —> wa’er

23
Q

What is a voiced /th/ sound?

(Cockney)

A

Makes a vibration in the throat, pronounced as a /v/ sound

Brother —> brovah

24
Q

What is an unvoiced /th/ sound?

(Cockney)

A

No vibration, just breath (/f/ sound

Thank you —> fank you

25
Q

What is a double vowel sound?

(Cockney)

A

“I ain’t got none”

26
Q

What are some Cockney rhyming slang?

A
  • Apples and pears: stairs
  • China plates: mates
  • Adam and Eve: believe
  • Dog and bone: phone
27
Q

What is Estuary English?

A

The middle ground between Cockney and RP.

However, the term Estuary English suggests it’s a new accent when it is in fact not (Peter Trudgill)

28
Q

Features of Estuary English?

A
  • No double negatives
  • Use of glottal stops
  • Diphthongs
  • Voiced and unvoiced /th/ sounds
29
Q

What is dialect levelling/assimilation?

A

The process of a persons/groups language becoming similar to others - reducing variation between dialects of the same language - bringing speakers together

30
Q

What was Giles and Powesland’s study?

A

Studies the unconscious stereotype based on accents; using a university lecturer who in one condition had a RP accent and in condition two had a Birmingham accent (matched guise test). They found that students said the RP accent was significantly rated as higher intelligence than the Birmingham one

31
Q

What was Greg Smith’s study?

A

Did a couple studies on children, UK and US - he did this to study subjective reaction test and found that RP was always ranked at the top

Children: RP, Cockney

UK: RP, (Scottish, Welsh, Irish), (Yorkshire, Devon, Lancashire), (Scouse, Brummy, Cockney)

US: RP, (Scottish, Welsh, Irish) and they struggled to rate the rest as they have no unconscious bias

32
Q

What is Multicultural London English (MLE)?

A

A sociolect of English that emerged in the late 20th century - spoken by young WC people in London but is seen to be spreading

33
Q

What is Multiethnolect in terms of MLE?

A

A term widely applied to young people living in multicultural and multilingual districts of large cities

34
Q

What are some lexical and grammatical features of MLE?

A
  • Indefinite pronoun of ‘man’: “I don’t really mind how my girl looks…it’s her personality man’s looking at”
  • Elliptical tag questions: “You get me?”, “Innit?”
  • Phonological variant clippings: “Bruv”, “Fam”
35
Q

What are some phonological features of MLE?

A
  • Pronunciation of /h/
  • /th/ fronting
  • Glottal stops
  • Using /d/ for /th/ words: them = dem
36
Q

Views of MLE

A
  • Used by individuals who are trying to be a gang
  • Sounds stupid and thick
  • Attacking RP and standard English
37
Q

What is the Southern term for this Northern word:

Tea

A

Dinner

38
Q

What is the Southern term for this Northern word:

Pudding/afters

A

Dessert

39
Q

What is the Southern term for this Northern word:

Pants

A

Trousers

40
Q

What is the Southern term for this Northern word:

Baps/buns

A

Rolls

41
Q

What are the 4 word groups when explaining the North and South divide?

A
  • Bath
  • Nurse
  • Strut
  • Goat
42
Q

What are some Geordie slang words?

A
  • Spelk: splinter
  • Twoc: steal
  • Nebby: nosy
43
Q

What is Prescriptivism?

A

The school of thought that concerns itself with correct language, in particular: spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax (sentence structures). Setting rules for the English language

44
Q

What is Descriptivism?

A

Not about rules but instead how language is used. Open-minded when it comes to change

45
Q

What does Howard Giles’ CAT theory stand for and what is it?

A

Communication Accommodation Theory - when people adjust their language/speech, vocal patterns and gestures to accommodate others

46
Q

What is convergence in relation to CAT?

A

When individuals adapt their language towards another people to reduce social differences

47
Q

What is divergence in relation to CAT?

A

When individuals accentuate their language, creating a bigger divide between themselves and different people

48
Q

What are the 4 types of convergence and what are they?

A
  • Convergence: the changing of language to better imitate someone and show we like them
  • Upward convergence: when a regional speaker changes to a more RP accent
  • Downward convergence: when an RP speaker changes their language to a more regional accent
  • Mutual convergence: when speakers move towards each others accents
49
Q

What are the 4 types of Divergence and what are they?

A
  • Divergence: when you deliberately make your language different
  • Upward divergence: when an RP speaker becomes more RP to distance from regional speakers
  • Downward divergence: when regional speakers become more regional to distance from RP speakers
  • Mutual divergence: when both speakers move away from each others accent to show dislike