Language attitudes in England and Austria : comparing reactions towards high and low prestige varieties in Manchester and Vienna
This thesis presents results obtained during 2007/08 in the course of doctoral research into attitudes towards linguistic variation in England and Austria and is based in part on a study by Lees (2000). In this project attitudes amongst British and Austrian informants towards low-prestige ('dialect') and high-prestige varieties are investigated on the basis of assumptions made about speakers of these varieties. The data are collected by means of the 'matched-guise technique', whereby informants listen to a number of recordings of low and high-prestige varieties and note their reactions on the basis of a selection of traits using a semantic differential. In this way the research aims to ascertain whether a pattern emerges, where the informants' perception of the guises is influenced by the prestige of the spoken variety. The results in England and in Austria are compared in order to determine similarities and differences in language attitudes towards low and high-prestige varieties in the two countries. Some results presented here correspond to certain social expectations, with high-prestige speakers being associated with better-paid employment and a better education. Other results, though, are less predictable,
Bellamy, John Paul
Language attitudes ; Austria ; Variety ; Sociolinguistics ; England ; Matched-guise
Language attitudes in England and Austria : comparing reactions towards high and low prestige varieties in Manchester and Vienna. This thesis presents results obtained during 2007/08 in the course of doctoral research into attitudes towards linguistic variation in England and Austria and is based in part on a study by Lees (2000). In this project attitudes amongst British and Austrian informants towards low-prestige ('dialect') and high-prestige varieties are investigated on the basis of assumptions made about speakers of these varieties. The data are collected by means of the 'matched-guise technique', whereby informants listen to a number of recordings of low and high-prestige varieties and note their reactions on the basis of a selection of traits using a semantic differential. In this way the research aims to ascertain whether a pattern emerges, where the informants' perception of the guises is influenced by the prestige of the spoken variety. The results in England and in Austria are compared in order to determine similarities and differences in language attitudes towards low and high-prestige varieties in the two countries. Some results presented here correspond to certain social expectations, with high-prestige speakers being associated with better-paid employment and a better education. Other results, though, are less predictable,
language_attitude england austria comparing reaction towards high_low prestige variety manchester vienna present obtain course doctoral attitude_towards linguistic_variation england austria base part study project attitude amongst british austrian informant towards low prestige dialect high prestige variety investigate basis assumption_make speaker variety data_collect mean matched guise technique whereby informant listen number recording low_high prestige variety note reaction basis selection trait use semantic differential way aim_ascertain whether pattern emerges informant perception guise influence prestige speak variety england austria compare order_determine similarity_differences language_attitude towards low_high prestige variety two_country present correspond certain social expectation high prestige speaker associate better paid employment good education though less predictable