Accent and Dialect Flashcards
(80 cards)
What is accent?
The pronunciation of lexis
What is dialect?
Your lexis
What is a regional accent?
An accent specific to a particular geographical region
What is regional dialect?
Dialect specific to a particular geographical region
What does RP stand for?
Received Pronunciation
How is social variation relevant to accent and dialect?
Those who are higher socially have fewer regional features than those lower down
What TV channel is associated with RP?
The BBC
What class is RP associated with?
The upper class
How does RP differ to other accents?
It doesn’t indicate the speaker’s regional origin
What is Standard English known as?
‘correct’ English
What is Standard English associated with?
Education, prestige
What do surveys show that people associate RP with?
Intelligence, confidence, authority
In what qualities is RP seen as less favorable?
Humor, sincerity, and good-naturedness
Are rural accents (Somerset) or urban accents (Birmingham or Cockney) more favorable?
Rural accents (Somerset)
What is the name of Howard Giles’ theory?
Capital Punishment Experiment 1973
What did Giles’s theory suggest?
People find regional accents more persuasive than RP
Who did Giles’ theory study and how many groups were there?
Students, 5 groups
What were the groups in Giles’s theory presented with?
An identical set of 5 arguments
One a printed text, one an RP speaker, one a Welsh speaker, one Somerset, one Birmingham
What were the detailed findings of Giles’ experiment?
RP and printed text were most impressive
Least impressive was the Birmingham speaker
Most persuasive were regional accents
What connection do people make with accents?
The accents and the region
People respond favorably to rural accents because they associate it with the beautiful countryside
How are stereotypes of accents reinforced and perpetuated?
Mass media
Is all discrimination based on accent negative?
No, it can be positive in the workplace
What workplaces favor certain accents?
Call centers
Located in specific places as companies feel that certain accents make customers respond more positively
What system does research show may discriminate based on accent?
The legal system
May be biased towards accents, making someone more susceptible for committing a crime