Studies on language attitudes have been conducted since the 1960s in various formats with native and non-native speakers as well as standard and non-standard English as a native language (ENL), English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) varieties. This paper aims to determine Austrian EFL learners’ attitudes towards selected British English native standard and non-standard varieties and whether they support previous findings in the field. In order to do so, a questionnaire containing 20 items was distributed online via social media to Austrian student teachers (N=28).
Table of Contents
1. Conscious awareness of social stereotypes towards selected varieties of British English among Austrian EFL learners
2. Literature review
2.1. Previous studies on language attitudes
3. The study
3.1. Sample
3.2. Method
4. Results
4.1. General attitudes towards the varieties from the present study
4.2. Correlative analysis
4.3. Discussion
4.4. Implications
4.5. Limitations
5. Conclusion and Prospects
6. References
7. Appendices
Research Objectives & Key Themes
This research aims to determine the attitudes and potential social stereotypes held by Austrian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners towards seven specific native standard and non-standard varieties of British English. By utilizing a Verbal Guise Technique (VGT), the study explores how these learners perceive prestige and social attractiveness in different accents and evaluates whether these perceptions align with established findings in sociolinguistic literature.
- Language attitudes and social stereotypes in an EFL context
- Evaluation of standard and non-standard British English varieties
- The role of the RP (Received Pronunciation) accent as a reference model
- Correlation between accent identification and evaluative judgements
- Sociolinguistic perception among Austrian student teachers
Excerpt from the Book
1. Conscious awareness of social stereotypes towards selected varieties of British English among Austrian EFL learners
The study of attitudes originated in the field of social psychology and is defined as “a summary evaluation of an object or thought” (Bohner & Wanke, 2002, as cited in McKenzie, 2007, p. 23) that “is not directly observable but can be inferred from observable responses” (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993, as cited in McKenzie, 2007, p. 24). Consequently, a person’s attitudes are permanent enough to be measured. Social stereotypes are, according to Hinton (2000, as cited in McKenzie, 2007), a set of characteristics that are assigned to a social group that defines the group, which can either be positive or negative and close or not close at all to the actual social reality of the group (McKenzie, 2007).
Attitudes and social stereotypes also exist within languages, where certain language varieties are more positively or negatively connotated than others. According to Kachru's (1985) The World Englishes model, there exist three levels of spread for the English language: the inner circle (English spoken as a native language), the outer circle (English spoken as a second language) and the expanding circle (English spoken as a foreign language). This paper aims to analyse attitudes and potential stereotypes towards standard and non-standard English language varieties from the inner circle, particularly from Britain, from an EFL perspective. Therefore, existing literature on the topic is outlined in the literature review before empirical work is presented, which was conducted through a self-designed questionnaire including seven British English accents. Then the results are outlined, the findings interpreted, and the research questions are answered. Lastly, implications and limitations are mentioned. A conclusion rounds up the paper.
Summary of Chapters
1. Conscious awareness of social stereotypes towards selected varieties of British English among Austrian EFL learners: Introduces the theoretical background of language attitudes and social stereotypes and outlines the paper's aim to analyze these within the context of Austrian EFL learners.
2. Literature review: Provides an overview of historical and contemporary studies regarding language attitudes, including foundational work on the matched-guise technique and previous research on British English varieties.
3. The study: Defines the specific research questions, describes the seven British English varieties chosen for the investigation, and details the participant sample and methodology used.
4. Results: Presents the descriptive statistics for the participants' evaluations of the different accents, covers the inferential statistics performed, and discusses the findings in relation to the initial research questions.
5. Conclusion and Prospects: Summarizes the key findings and suggests implications for the use of reference models in the English curriculum for Austrian schools.
6. References: Lists the academic sources and software projects cited throughout the research paper.
7. Appendices: Contains the detailed descriptive statistical tables for each analyzed variety and the results of the statistical tests.
Keywords
language attitudes, English as a Foreign Language, British English varieties, social stereotypes, Received Pronunciation, sociolinguistics, Verbal Guise Technique, language prestige, social attractiveness, Austrian EFL learners, accent identification, linguistic awareness
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research focuses on identifying the conscious attitudes and potential social stereotypes that Austrian EFL learners hold toward seven different standard and non-standard varieties of British English.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Central themes include the measurement of language attitudes, the distinction between prestige and social attractiveness in accents, and how educational backgrounds influence the perception of native English varieties.
What is the primary research question or objective?
The core objective is to determine whether Austrian EFL learners' attitudes support previous sociolinguistic findings and whether there is a correlation between the ability to identify specific accents and the evaluation of those accents.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The study utilized a quantitative online questionnaire featuring a Verbal Guise Technique (VGT), where 28 participants evaluated seven British English audio samples using a six-point Likert scale.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers a comprehensive literature review, detailed methodology, descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the participants' ratings, and a discussion of the implications for language teaching.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include language attitudes, British English varieties, social stereotypes, Received Pronunciation, and sociolinguistics in an EFL context.
How do the findings regarding the RP accent compare to expectations?
The study finds that while RP is the most familiar accent for the participants due to the Austrian school system, it is not necessarily rated as the most positively regarded, with varieties like Scottish Standard English receiving higher scores.
What unique observation does the author make about Newcastle English?
The author identifies Newcastle English as the 'bête noire' of the study, noting that it was consistently rated lower than other varieties on both prestige and social attractiveness dimensions.
What is the significance of the participants' ability to identify accents?
The research finds no significant difference in the attitudes held by participants who could correctly identify the accents compared to those who could not, suggesting that stereotypical views are present regardless of conscious knowledge of the accent.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Axel Kolbeinsson (Autor:in), 2021, Austrian EFL learners and their awareness of social stereotypes towards selected varieties of British English, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1191940
