Intro |
Evaluating English Accents WorldWide: AimsThe personnel working on this project to date come from a wide range of backgrounds: social psychology, anthropology, linguistics, languages, and communication. Universities involved include ones in New Zealand (Otago, Victoria), Australia (Queensland), Fiji (University of the South Pacific), Singapore (National University of Singapore), Hong Kong (Hong Kong Baptist University), Japan (International Christian University), Ohio (Cleveland State University), Chicago (University of Illinois at Chicago), Alabama (University of Alabama), Sweden (Umeå University), Ireland (Trinity College), the UK (University of York), Poland (Adam Mickiewicz University), and Denmark (University of Southern Denmark). We have a number of overall research questions in mind: To what extent are the different accents distinct and recognisable to other native speakers of English? Can Americans and English distinguish between the very similar New Zealand and Australian accents? Can the two antipodean nations of New Zealand and Australia tell each other's accent apart? How distinct are the four accents to non-native speakers of English as a second language? Can they distinguish accurately between the three non-rhotic varieties ("Non-rhotic" refers to accents that do not sound the "r" in words like "car, more, year", as in New Zealand, Australian, and English English)? What associations do the four accents have in the minds of native and non-native English speakers? By "associations" we mean stereotypes and biases associated with things like status, wealth, friendliness, intelligence and the like. Which accents are viewed as the most influential? Which most pleasant and likeable? How is the national accent in each of the four English-speaking nations viewed in comparison to the other three? Which traits is it highest in? Lowest? What impact do the spoken media appear to have on listeners' opinions of the four accents? American-accented movies and television programmes are found in all four of the English-speaking nations, and in all the other non-English speaking nations to be covered in this survey. British films and television programmes in RP or regional accents are found in varying quantities in all the nations concerned, and Australia and New Zealand television screen programmes in each other's accents. Some antipodean programmes also are broadcast in the UK and continental Europe. How do all these affect attitudes? Francophone and German-speaking nations view English-language TV and films dubbed into French and German; smaller nations like Holland and the Scandinavian countries see them in their original English-language versions, complete with local accent. What effect does this variable have on evaluations? All personnel involved in the project are free to use all data for their own research interests, and again these vary widely. Sullivan is interested in ability to detect age from voice alone for forensic purposes; Bayard is intrigued by cross-cultural parallels and differences in the way personality and voice traits are grouped into larger dimensions like power and solidarity. Weatherall and Gallois are interested in investigating Australasian attitudes towards Australasian accents. Hung and Man are naturally interested in relative ease of comprehension of the various accents by Hong Kong students of English (For information on relative comprehenion of accents, see "Hong Kong: Perceived Comprehension of Accents"). See Current Research for a description of some of the studies currently under way. |