LANGUAGE ATTITUDELANGUAGE ATTITUDE“Research on Attitude “Research on Attitude

towards Accent”towards Accent”

Deny A. KwaryDeny A. Kwary

www.kwary.netwww.kwary.net

Attitude towards Accent Attitude towards Accent IntelligenceIntelligence

Giles & Powesland (1975). Giles & Powesland (1975). Speech Style and Social Speech Style and Social

EvaluationEvaluation..

• Matched-guised technique: an investigator who Matched-guised technique: an investigator who

could speak either Birmingham accent and RP could speak either Birmingham accent and RP

spoke to two groups of 17-year-olds about spoke to two groups of 17-year-olds about

psychology, using one accent with one group psychology, using one accent with one group

and the other accent with the other group. and the other accent with the other group.

• Result: The investigator was rated higher in his Result: The investigator was rated higher in his

RP in terms of competence, intelligence, and RP in terms of competence, intelligence, and

industrious.industrious.

Giles and Ryan (1982): concluded that a certain accent Giles and Ryan (1982): concluded that a certain accent can change public opinion and show the speaker’s social can change public opinion and show the speaker’s social class. class. • Matched-guised technique: Four groups of people were Matched-guised technique: Four groups of people were

asked to listen to a recording about capital punishment. asked to listen to a recording about capital punishment. • The first group listened to the argument in RP;The first group listened to the argument in RP;• The second group listened to it in South Wales accent;The second group listened to it in South Wales accent;• The third in Somerset accent;The third in Somerset accent;• The fourth in Birmingham accent. The fourth in Birmingham accent.

Result: The RP speaker is considered to have higher Result: The RP speaker is considered to have higher competency the local accent speaker. competency the local accent speaker. However, the respondents tend to agree with arguments of However, the respondents tend to agree with arguments of the local accent speaker.the local accent speaker.

Attitude towards Accent Attitude towards Accent Politics Politics

Birnei (1998)Birnei (1998)• Location: BavariaLocation: Bavaria• Respondents: Business peopleRespondents: Business people• Result: Most of the respondents prefer studying Result: Most of the respondents prefer studying

in an English course which uses British English in an English course which uses British English and that of American English.and that of American English.

Gibb (1999)Gibb (1999)• Location: KoreaLocation: Korea• Respondents: Business People and StudentsRespondents: Business People and Students• Result: Most of the respondents prefer studying Result: Most of the respondents prefer studying

in an English course which uses American in an English course which uses American English and that of British English.English and that of British English.

Attitude towards Accent Attitude towards Accent English Course BusinessEnglish Course Business

Lambert (1968): Lambert (1968):

The group of students that have The group of students that have positive attitude towards the positive attitude towards the Foreign Language get better Foreign Language get better

achievements. achievements.

Attitude towards Accent Attitude towards Accent Achievement in Learning a Achievement in Learning a

Foreign LanguageForeign Language

Attitudes towards Accent Attitudes towards Accent Children’s preferenceChildren’s preference

Rosenthal (1974): Attitudes of children towards Rosenthal (1974): Attitudes of children towards SE and AAVE.SE and AAVE.• Location: FloridaLocation: Florida• Respondents: 136 school children between Respondents: 136 school children between

the ages three to six.the ages three to six.• The children saw two identical boxes, with a The children saw two identical boxes, with a

tape-recorder and a present hidden.tape-recorder and a present hidden.• 73% of the children expected a present from 73% of the children expected a present from

the voice with SE.the voice with SE.

Language Attitude Research in Language Attitude Research in IndonesiaIndonesia

Gunarwan (1983): The language attitude of the Gunarwan (1983): The language attitude of the students at the University of Indonesia towards students at the University of Indonesia towards Standard and Non-standard Indonesian Standard and Non-standard Indonesian language.language.

Suhardi (1991): The language attitude of the Suhardi (1991): The language attitude of the students and scholars at the University of students and scholars at the University of Indonesia towards Indonesian language, local Indonesia towards Indonesian language, local language and foreign languagelanguage and foreign language

Moeliono (1988) listed six negative attitudes which Moeliono (1988) listed six negative attitudes which prevent the standardization of Indonesian prevent the standardization of Indonesian language:language:

1.1. Underestimating the needs of quality standards.Underestimating the needs of quality standards.

2.2. Neglecting the additions of new vocabulary.Neglecting the additions of new vocabulary.

3.3. Appreciating a foreign language.Appreciating a foreign language.

4.4. Disobeying the grammar rules.Disobeying the grammar rules.

5.5. Not giving any attention towards language Not giving any attention towards language research and development.research and development.

6.6. Using the sentence pattern of a foreign Using the sentence pattern of a foreign language.language.