Language Attitudes1Language AttitudesLanguage Attitudes22What are language attitudes?What are language attitudes?zzLanguage attitudes are the feelings people Language attitudes are the feelings people have about their own language variety or have about their own language variety or the languages or language varieties of the languages or language varieties of others.others.33What are language attitudes?What are language attitudes?zz““Women talk too much.Women talk too much.””zz““Children canChildren can’’t speak or write properly any t speak or write properly any more.more.””zz““In the Appalachians they speak like In the Appalachians they speak like Shakespeare.Shakespeare.””zz““Black children are verbally deprived.Black children are verbally deprived.””zz““They speak really bad English down They speak really bad English down south and in New York City.south and in New York City.””zz““Everyone has an accent except me.Everyone has an accent except me.””Language Attitudes244Implications of Language AttitudesImplications of Language Attitudes1.1.Language attitudes usually entail attitudes to Language attitudes usually entail attitudes to the speakers of the particular language or the speakers of the particular language or dialect. dialect. 2.2.There is evidence that language attitudes There is evidence that language attitudes influence sound change. influence sound change. 3.3.Language attitudes may influence how Language attitudes may influence how teachers deal with pupils. teachers deal with pupils. 4.4.Attitudes about language may affect second Attitudes about language may affect second language learning. language learning. 5.5.Language attitudes may affect whether or not Language attitudes may affect whether or not varieties are mutually intelligible.varieties are mutually intelligible.55Language Attitudes fromLanguage Attitudes from““American TonguesAmerican Tongues””zzA A YalieYaliegirlgirl’’s attitude to her boyfriends attitude to her boyfriend’’s Southern accents Southern accentzzA NorthernerA Northerner’’s attitude to the s attitude to the ““Southern brogueSouthern brogue””zzMike Hardin on New YorkersMike Hardin on New Yorkers’’attitudes to the speech of attitudes to the speech of OhioOhiozz……and his attitude to the New York accentand his attitude to the New York accentzzA Southern womanA Southern woman’’s attitude to s attitude to ““the way they speakthe way they speak””in in the Norththe NorthzzThe importance of The importance of darlindarlin’’zzNorthernersNortherners’’and Southernersand Southerners’’attitudes to the /ay/ attitudes to the /ay/ --//ææ/ / variablevariablezzMolly Molly IvinsIvinson the prejudice against a Southern accenton the prejudice against a Southern accentWhat are What are youryourattitudes to attitudes to some varieties of American some varieties of American English?English?Language Attitudes377What are Your Attitudes to Some What are Your Attitudes to Some Varieties of American English?Varieties of American English?1.1.Name the variety that you have chosenName the variety that you have chosen2.2.How pleasant is it?How pleasant is it?a)a)Very pleasantVery pleasantb)b)PleasantPleasantc)c)NeutralNeutrald)d)UnpleasantUnpleasante)e)Very unpleasantVery unpleasant3.3.How prestigious is it?How prestigious is it?a)a)Very prestigiousVery prestigiousb)b)PrestigiousPrestigiousc)c)NeutralNeutrald)d)Not prestigiousNot prestigiouse)e)It has no prestige at allIt has no prestige at all4.4.The people who speak this variety areThe people who speak this variety area)a)Very intelligentVery intelligentb)b)IntelligentIntelligentc)c)NeutralNeutrald)d)DumbDumbe)e)Really dumbReally dumb5.5.What kind of house would you expect a speaker of this variety liWhat kind of house would you expect a speaker of this variety live in?ve in?6.6.What kind of your job would you expect a speaker of this varietyWhat kind of your job would you expect a speaker of this varietyto have? to have? 88Attitudes to Social DialectsAttitudes to Social DialectszzIn the clip from In the clip from ““FriendsFriends””,,zzWhy does Phoebe change her accent?Why does Phoebe change her accent?zzWhat accent does Phoebe imitate?What accent does Phoebe imitate?zzDo you agree or disagree with these statements?Do you agree or disagree with these statements?zzYou can tell a lot about a person by the way they talk.You can tell a lot about a person by the way they talk.zzMy language use at home is different from my language use at My language use at home is different from my language use at school.school.zzLearning to do a new job can involve learning new ways to use Learning to do a new job can involve learning new ways to use language.language.zzI adapt the way I talk depending on the people involved.I adapt the way I talk depending on the people involved.zzCommunication difficulties cause interpersonal problems.Communication difficulties cause interpersonal problems.zzCommunication difficulties cause political problems.Communication difficulties cause political problems.99Language attitudes andLanguage attitudes andlinguistic capitallinguistic capitalzzFrench sociologist Pierre French sociologist Pierre BourdieuBourdieuargued argued that that ……zzLinguistic exchanges invoke a complex Linguistic exchanges invoke a complex network of power relations in which the network of power relations in which the producer, by producing an utterance or text, producer, by producing an utterance or text, makes a bid for social authority, and the makes a bid for social authority, and the recipient or audience decides to what degree recipient or audience decides to what degree to recognize that claim to authority.to recognize that claim to authority.Language Attitudes41010Language attitudes andLanguage attitudes andlinguistic capitallinguistic capitalzzBourdieuBourdieuintroduced introduced ……..zzThe concept of The concept of linguistic capitallinguistic capitalto describe to describe the respect or authority enjoyed by a speaker.the respect or authority enjoyed by a speaker.zzThose with high linguistic capital speak with Those with high linguistic capital speak with ““command,command,””i.e., the power to influence a i.e., the power to influence a listener toward the desired interpretation.listener toward the desired interpretation.zzUtterances are always ventured in a particular Utterances are always