The study of foreign accents and their acceptance of native English speakers has become the favourite topic for this scale study. Therefore, the purpose is to find out if there are differences between the reactions of British and American English native-speakers towards foreign accents. An accent is linguistically known as “a method of pronouncing words common to a certain region. It can also refer to the stress on a certain syllable” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accent, cited 11th November 2005). Consequently, a foreign accent in a different language is a method of pronouncing words common to the speaker’s mother tongue. The British and American nationalities were chosen because they both have English as their first language. Thus, ten questionnaires were prepared which contain questions regarding the age, gender and nationality, whether the participants like or dislike foreign accents in general and their reactions to special foreign accents. Altogether, five British and five Americans of similar age and of equal distribution in terms of gender were asked to complete the questionnaire. The German, French and Indian accents were chosen because all three are very different regarding their intonation, rhythm and pronouncement and can therefore easily be differentiated.
Hence, the remainder of this scale study is divided into four sections, the procedure and the reasons behind the structure of the questionnaire, the results of British and Americans respondents including a comparison and analysis of the results, a discussion of the findings in relation to former research and finally, the conclusion.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Procedure and Questionnaire Structure
- Results: British and American Respondents
- British Respondents
- American Respondents
- Discussion of Findings
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The objective of this study is to investigate whether British and American English native speakers differ in their reactions to foreign accents in English. The study uses questionnaires to gather data on participants' preferences and perceptions of various accents.
- Comparison of British and American reactions to foreign accents.
- Analysis of the perceived qualities of German, French, and Indian accents.
- The influence of familiarity on the perception of foreign accents.
- Correlation between accent perception and demographic factors (age and gender).
- Relationship between accent perception and listener bias.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Procedure and Questionnaire Structure: This section details the methodology of the study, focusing on the design and structure of the questionnaire used to collect data on the participants' reactions to various foreign accents. The questionnaire includes general questions about demographics, specific questions about the liking/disliking of German, French, and Indian accents, and open-ended questions for participants to describe their reactions. The study aims to simplify data analysis by using a sample with similar age and gender among participants.
Results: British and American Respondents: This section presents the results obtained from British and American participants. The British participants (aged 26-45) generally liked foreign accents, showing particular preference for French and Indian accents while disliking the German accent more frequently. The German accent was described as "precise, hard, cold, strict, and aggressive," while the French accent was described as "soft, romantic, sexy, and gentle," and the Indian accent as "soft and rhythmic." In contrast, the American participants (aged 26-32) also generally liked foreign accents, but their reactions differed slightly. While they found the German accent easy to understand, the Indian accent was seen as difficult to understand. The American participants expressed liking for Australian, Spanish, Irish, Arabic, and Turkish accents, showing some variation in preference compared to the British participants. Notably, both groups showed no significant differences in reactions based on gender.
Discussion of Findings: This section analyzes the findings in relation to existing research and explores potential explanations for the observed differences and similarities in accent perception between British and American participants. It draws upon previous studies showing differences in how British and American listeners perceive German accents. It also notes that the large number of non-native English speakers globally could be influencing accent perception. The section considers the role of familiarity with different accents in shaping preferences, acknowledging the limitations of a small-scale study and suggesting avenues for future research to further refine understanding of accent perception and bias.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Foreign accents, English language, British English, American English, perception, attitudes, German accent, French accent, Indian accent, linguistic prejudice, sociolinguistics, questionnaire, small-scale study, cross-cultural communication.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Study on British and American Reactions to Foreign Accents
What is the main objective of this study?
This study investigates whether British and American English native speakers differ in their reactions to foreign accents in English. It uses questionnaires to gather data on participants' preferences and perceptions of various accents, specifically German, French, and Indian accents.
What are the key themes explored in this study?
The study compares British and American reactions to foreign accents, analyzes the perceived qualities of German, French, and Indian accents, examines the influence of familiarity on accent perception, explores the correlation between accent perception and demographic factors (age and gender), and investigates the relationship between accent perception and listener bias.
What was the methodology of the study?
The study employed questionnaires designed to collect data on participants' reactions to various foreign accents. The questionnaires included questions about demographics, specific questions about liking/disliking different accents, and open-ended questions for descriptive responses. The study aimed for a similar age and gender distribution among participants to simplify data analysis.
What were the findings regarding British respondents?
British participants (aged 26-45) generally liked foreign accents. They showed a particular preference for French and Indian accents, while more frequently disliking the German accent. Descriptions of the accents included "precise, hard, cold, strict, and aggressive" for German; "soft, romantic, sexy, and gentle" for French; and "soft and rhythmic" for Indian. No significant gender differences were observed.
What were the findings regarding American respondents?
American participants (aged 26-32) also generally liked foreign accents, but their preferences differed slightly from the British participants. They found the German accent easy to understand, but the Indian accent more difficult. They expressed liking for Australian, Spanish, Irish, Arabic, and Turkish accents. Similar to the British group, no significant gender differences were observed.
How did the study discuss the findings?
The discussion section analyzed the findings in relation to existing research, exploring potential explanations for similarities and differences in accent perception between the two groups. It considered the role of familiarity with different accents in shaping preferences and acknowledged the limitations of a small-scale study. The discussion also suggested avenues for future research to further investigate accent perception and bias.
What are the key limitations of this study?
The study acknowledges its limitations as a small-scale study. Further research is suggested to expand upon the findings and address any biases or limitations stemming from the sample size and scope.
What are the keywords associated with this study?
Foreign accents, English language, British English, American English, perception, attitudes, German accent, French accent, Indian accent, linguistic prejudice, sociolinguistics, questionnaire, small-scale study, cross-cultural communication.
- Quote paper
- Nicole Brand (Author), 2005, Reactions to foreign accents in the English language, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/49142
