accent and dialect key terms Flashcards
(15 cards)
accent
a way of pronouncing words that indicates the place of origin or social background of the speaker
regional dialect
language specific to a particular area of the country
sociolect
form of language used by a socioeconomic class, profession, age group etc
received pronunciation
the dialect of English associated with upper-class Britons living in London and now considered standard in the United Kingdom.
standard english
a form of english that is taught around the world and understood by all speakers of the language
overt prestige (labov)
the status and power associated with standard or formal language features
covert prestige (labov)
status associated with non-standard languages and dialect
prescriptivism
the view that there is a right and a wrong way to speak a language and that there are certain correct forms that should be used.
descriptivism
a linguistic approach which focuses on language as it is, rather than how it should be - all types of language/dialect are acceptable
idiolect
the speech habits of a particular person
accomodation (giles’ accommodation theory)
he process of adapting one’s speech to make it more or less similar to that of other participants in a conversation
convergence (giles’ accommodation theory)
when a person’s speech patterns become more like those of the other person in a conversation (lower status speakers tend to accomodate to higher status speakers)
divergence (giles’ accommodation theory)
when a person’s speech patterns become more individualised and less like those of the other person in a conversation
upwards (giles’ accommodation theory)
when applied to convergence/divergence, movement to the standard
downwards (giles’ accommodation theory)
when applied to convergence/divergence, movement away from the standard
