Attitudes towards foreign accents among adult multilingual language users

Abstract

The present study investigates inter-individual variation (linked to personality traits, multilingualism and sociobiographical variables) in the attitudes that 2035 multilinguals have of their own and others' Foreign Accent (FA). Data were collected through an on-line questionnaire. We found that extraverted multilinguals, who were emotionally stable and tolerant of ambiguity were significantly less bothered by the FA of others. Only more neurotic multilinguals were bothered by their own FA. Unexpectedly, participants who knew more languages to a higher level were more negative about the FA of others and their own. However, participants who grew up in an ethnically diverse environment, who had lived abroad and who were working in an ethically diverse environment were significantly more positive about FA. While sex had no effect on the attitudes towards the FA of others, women had a more negative attitude towards their own FA. Education level and age were also linked to attitudes towards FA. The findings thus show that how much multilinguals are bothered by FA falls partly outside their conscious control as it depends on their personality, their language learning history, their current linguistic practices and their sociobiographical background.

Attitudes towards code-switching among adult mono- and multilingual language users

“…Emotionally stable people suffer less from worries or anxiety and have more positive attitudes towards CS. Dewaele and McCroskey (2013) found that Emotionally stable individuals enjoyed Foreign Accents (FA) more than those individuals closer to the Neurotic end of the dimension. We speculated that the latter are more likely to perceive the FA as an additional source of worry in the interaction.…”

The Effect of Perception of Teacher Characteristics on Spanish EFL Learners’ Anxiety and Enjoyment

“…L2 speakers of English also have been found not to show much solidarity with foreign accented English from speakers from their own L1 background and to rate accents that are closer to standard British English to be more prestigious (Beinhoff, ). Dewaele and McCloskey () found that the attitudes of 2,035 multilingual participants toward their own and other people's foreign accents were linked to psychological factors such as extraversion, emotional stability, tolerance of ambiguity, as well as sociobiographical factors such as experience with ethnically diverse environments, having lived abroad, gender, education level, and age.…”

An Investigation into the Attitudes and Practices of Nigerian Students towards the Use of English Language and Their Native Languages in a Culturally Diverse Society

“…It therefore determines what an individual sees, hears, and thinks as well as do because it influences behaviour. Attitudes towards language use depends to an extend on social hierarchies that are obtainable within a certain community or geographical area (Nolan, 2013;Dewaele & McCloskey, 2015;Javid, Farooq, Umar, & Gulzar, 2017;Sardegna, Lee, & Kusey, 2018). Attitudes change because of social and political perceptions and some intrinsic linguistic features of the language (Holmes, 2013).…”

“…Then, the indirect approach, which is more concerned with conscious awareness; considered as behavioural components (McKenzie, 2010;Javid, Farooq, Umar, & Gulzar, 2017;Lasagabaster, 2017;Nolan, 2013). Terms such as language shift, language policy, the survival of the minority languages, the shift or loss of a language, and language maintenance in sociolinguistics are linked to attitudes in language use (Wilson, Ward, & Fisher, 2013;Kuyumcu, 2014;Dewaele & McCloskey, 2015).…”