Attitudinal research into Caribbean Englishes

Abstract

Language attitude research is crucial for a deeper understanding of New Englishes. However, the most common attitude research methods often cause problems when applied to New Englishes contexts. We discuss the benefits and challenges of different methods used in two attitude studies on the perception of linguistic variation in Jamaica and Trinidad. Five major issues arise out of the discussion: the careful consideration of abstract labels, the need for contextualized research and authentic source material, the limited view of written data collection with closed questions, the crucial role of the researcher, and the opportunities of mixed-methods research. These conclusions are particularly relevant for research on New Englishes but also for language attitude research in general.

Comparing attitudes toward Caribbean, British, and American accents in Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States

“…The indirect investigation of language attitudes by means of accent rating studies has proved useful for the analysis of attitudes toward different standardized varieties of English in the Caribbean (Wilson & Westphal, 2021, p. 179). In these studies, speech stimuli are played to participants who rate the speakers (not the accents) according to different criteria with the aim of eliciting covert attitudes.…”

“…And not least, the situation is shaped by the continuum relationship of English with the English‐based Creoles (Winford, 1997). In contexts such as the ones described above, ‘language attitude research is crucial for a deeper understanding of the sociolinguistic dynamics […], as it shows which values actual users attach to language varieties and their speakers’ (Wilson & Westphal, 2021, p. 176). Moreover, attitude research can inform on the status of endonormativity from an attitudinal perspective as it shows in how far a local variety is accepted as a norm by its speakers and how the variety relates to other norms (Deuber & Leung, 2013, p. 290).…”