Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations
This paper investigated the accent choices and realisations of first-year students of English in the Netherlands and linked these choices to the social identity, or persona, they wished to express in English. Further, it was investigated how important students felt identity expression was relative t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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Prof Thomas Tinnefeld
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching |
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| Online Access: | https://linguisticsandlanguageteaching.blogspot.com/search/label/81%20Smakman |
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| author | Gezina Christien Dorothé Huttenga Dick Smakman |
| author_facet | Gezina Christien Dorothé Huttenga Dick Smakman |
| author_sort | Gezina Christien Dorothé Huttenga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper investigated the accent choices and realisations of first-year students of English in the Netherlands and linked these choices to the social identity, or persona, they wished to express in English. Further, it was investigated how important students felt identity expression was relative to other criteria in their pursuit of a certain accent. This group gives us an impression of the norms that future teachers may apply in their classes. Most (70) of the survey participants preferred to follow the Standard British English (Received Pronunciation) articulation model, while a reasonable group (29) were more inclined towards more Americanised and international accents. Interviews demonstrated that students held traditional connotations toward accents of English: Received Pronunciation indexed tradition and formality and related characteristics while general American indexed dynamism, internationalism, and related characteristics. Identity expression was relatively low on the agenda of these students. The sound file analysis revealed students were not consistent in applying their stated RP preference when they actually speak. They mixed their accent not only with their L1 but also with American English, possibly below the threshold of awareness. The results show that this particular group distinguished clearly between school norms and real-life norms. Our suggestion is that this distinction deserves more attention in teaching so that students become better prepared for real-life communication and become mainly concerned about international and intercultural intelligibility. L1 influences may be embraced as being natural and not in need of suppressing if they do not hinder intelligibility. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4f2e80f440e74f3bbe989854ee6105f6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2190-4677 |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Prof Thomas Tinnefeld |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching |
| spelling | doaj-art-4f2e80f440e74f3bbe989854ee6105f62025-02-02T06:45:54ZdeuProf Thomas TinnefeldJournal of Linguistics and Language Teaching2190-46772021-12-01122129145Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and MotivationsGezina Christien Dorothé Huttenga0Dick Smakman1Hanze University of Applied Sciences, NetherlandsLeiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL), NetherlandsThis paper investigated the accent choices and realisations of first-year students of English in the Netherlands and linked these choices to the social identity, or persona, they wished to express in English. Further, it was investigated how important students felt identity expression was relative to other criteria in their pursuit of a certain accent. This group gives us an impression of the norms that future teachers may apply in their classes. Most (70) of the survey participants preferred to follow the Standard British English (Received Pronunciation) articulation model, while a reasonable group (29) were more inclined towards more Americanised and international accents. Interviews demonstrated that students held traditional connotations toward accents of English: Received Pronunciation indexed tradition and formality and related characteristics while general American indexed dynamism, internationalism, and related characteristics. Identity expression was relatively low on the agenda of these students. The sound file analysis revealed students were not consistent in applying their stated RP preference when they actually speak. They mixed their accent not only with their L1 but also with American English, possibly below the threshold of awareness. The results show that this particular group distinguished clearly between school norms and real-life norms. Our suggestion is that this distinction deserves more attention in teaching so that students become better prepared for real-life communication and become mainly concerned about international and intercultural intelligibility. L1 influences may be embraced as being natural and not in need of suppressing if they do not hinder intelligibility.https://linguisticsandlanguageteaching.blogspot.com/search/label/81%20Smakmanl2 identityreceived pronunciationamerican englishintelligibilityelt |
| spellingShingle | Gezina Christien Dorothé Huttenga Dick Smakman Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations Journal of Linguistics and Language Teaching l2 identity received pronunciation american english intelligibility elt |
| title | Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations |
| title_full | Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations |
| title_fullStr | Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations |
| title_short | Accent Choices of English Majors in the Netherlands: Patterns and Motivations |
| title_sort | accent choices of english majors in the netherlands patterns and motivations |
| topic | l2 identity received pronunciation american english intelligibility elt |
| url | https://linguisticsandlanguageteaching.blogspot.com/search/label/81%20Smakman |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gezinachristiendorothehuttenga accentchoicesofenglishmajorsinthenetherlandspatternsandmotivations AT dicksmakman accentchoicesofenglishmajorsinthenetherlandspatternsandmotivations |