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Perceiving Identity through Accent

Attitudes towards Non-Native Speakers and their Accents in English

Bettina Beinhoff author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Peter Lang AG, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften

Published:9th Apr '13

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Perceiving Identity through Accent cover

Given the increasing use of English worldwide and in intercultural communication, there is a growing interest in attitudes towards non-native speaker accents in English. Research on attitudes towards non-native English accents is therefore important because of concerns about positive and negative discrimination between people who speak with different accents. This book reveals exactly what types of accent variations trigger positive and negative attitudes towards the speaker.
The author argues that certain types of variation in the pronunciation of English can have a significant effect on how listeners identify an accent and explores how this variation affects the development of certain attitudes towards the speaker. Specific sounds that are difficult for many learners to acquire (e.g. the initial sounds in ‘this’ or ‘June’) are examined in terms of attitudes towards speakers’ pronunciation, including an original comparison of two different kinds of non-native accents (German and Greek). The results of the study provide a basis for further research in second language acquisition and applied linguistics as well as practical information for language instructors at all levels of English education.

«Beinhoff successfully builds upon an existing body of previous studies to lead language attitude and identity research into new territory, one which is likely to become increasingly important in an increasingly globalised world.»
(John Bellamy, Zeitschrift für Dialektologie und Linguistik 1/2015)

ISBN: 9783034308199

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 410g

280 pages

New edition