regional accents and dialects

Question 1

what is an accent

Answer 1

the way in which people in a particular area/country/social group pronounce words

Question 2

what is a regional accent

Answer 2

a distinct form of a language spoken in a particular geographical area

Question 3

what is a sociolect

Answer 3

the vocab/grammar used by a particular social group

Question 4

what is recieved pronounciation (RP)

Answer 4

considered the standard way to speak in the UK (queens/oxford english) (accent)

Question 5

what is standard english

Answer 5

the most wildly accepted form of english- useed in professional and business communication (dialect)

Question 6

what is overt and covert prestige

Answer 6

overt= the high social value for formal language features
covert= high social value given to nonstandard language

Question 7

prescriptivism

Answer 7

tell you what to do with your language- JUDGEMENTAL

Question 8

descriptivism

Answer 8

describing the way people speak

Question 9

what is an idiolect

Answer 9

unique to each person- different set of factors that contribute

Question 10

what is linguicism

Answer 10

the unfair treatment of people or groups based on their language or dialect.

Question 11

accomodation

Answer 11

adapting ones speech to make it more or less similar to that of other participants in conversation

Question 12

convergence

Answer 12

a persons speech patterns become more individualised and less like those of the other person in the conversation

Question 13

divergence

Answer 13

• making or speech less like someone elses, by hanging onto and exaggerating our individual traits such as fillers or accent features
• increases social distance

Question 14

a dialectologist

Answer 14

investigate and describe the grammar of non-standard dialects

Question 15

What is glottal stopping?

Answer 15

A replacement for /t/ that is heavily stigmatised in Britain.

Associated with uneducated working classes, yet it occurs in several accents/dialects like Cockney and Glaswegian.

Question 16

What is Estuary English?

Answer 16

A variety of modified regional speech, mixing non-regional and local southeastern English pronunciation and intonation.

It is becoming the language of media and influence, leading to predictions that it may replace RP.

Question 17

What does Giles’ accommodation theory propose?

Answer 17

When we talk to another person, we adapt our speech to accommodate them subconsciously.

Question 18

What did Coupland’s 1982 study reveal about language variation?

Answer 18

A Cardiff shop assistant used more standard forms when talking to middle-class customers, indicating occupational influence on language choices.

Question 19

What did Labov’s research on Martha’s Vineyard reveal?

Answer 19

Younger speakers used vowel centralisation to distinguish themselves from tourists, demonstrating covert prestige and social identity.

Question 20

What is the significance of Labov’s methodological innovations?

Answer 20

They allowed the study of linguistic variation, showing that variation is systematic rather than random.

Question 21

What did Giles’ matched guise experiment find about RP?

Answer 21

RP was perceived as having more status than other accents, rated highly for intelligence and ambition.

Question 22

What was the outcome of the ITV survey regarding accents?

Answer 22

28% of Brits feel discriminated against because of the way they speak.

Question 23

What is a double negative in non-standard dialects?

Answer 23

Using two negatives to express a single negative meaning, e.g., ‘I didn’t have no dinner’.

Question 24

What is the significance of Trudgill’s research on non-standard dialects?

Answer 24

Describes grammatical differences between standard and non-standard dialects, showing they are not defective.

Question 25

What does Coupland's research indicate about sociolect features?

Answer 25

Sociolect features are more linked to socio-economic background than regional origins.

Question 26

Fill in the blank: 'Standard English' is the dialect of ________ across Britain.

Answer 26

educated people

Question 27

What attitudes did the Daily Mail report regarding black country accents in schools?

Answer 27

They have been banned as teachers claim they are 'snobbish' and 'insulting'.

Question 28

What did Jonnie Robinson state about dialects?

Answer 28

Dialect is far from being extinct; it is just changing and can establish shared roots and social bonds.

Question 29

What is the outcome of a Comres survey regarding social stigma towards regional accents?

Answer 29

1/5 Brits admitted to being discriminated against because of the way they talk.

Question 30

What is the concept of hierarchical geographical diffusion in language change?

Answer 30

Linguistic features spread from economically dominant urban centers to localities further away.

Question 31

What did the BBC state about immigration's impact on British language?

Answer 31

Immigration has contributed to the diversity of British language as rural dialects diminish.

Question 32

True or False: RP is rated high in friendliness and humor.

Answer 32

False ## Footnote RP is generally rated low in these aspects.

Question 33

What is an example of regularising reflexive pronouns in non-standard dialects?

Answer 33

Using 'theirselves' instead of 'themselves'.

Question 34

What are some grammatical features found in non-standard dialects according to Hughes et al?

Answer 34

Multiple negation, past tense irregular verbs, present tense verb forms, relative pronouns. ## Footnote Examples include 'I didn't have no dinner' and 'I likes it'.

Question 35

covert prestige

Answer 35

when a non-standard dialect or language is valued within a speech community, usually by its own speakers

Question 36

overt prestige

Answer 36

the social value and esteem that is given to a formal or standard variety of language. It is a sociolinguistic concept that is associated with power and status. **the prestige assigned to forms of language that are widely considered "correct"**