ACCENT AND DIALECT THEORISTS

carmen Llamas

• 2007

• creates sense relation networks (SRNs)

• idea that within the mind there exists a network of interconnected words/phrases

• used to explore patterns of lexical variations across regions

• involves ideas like dialect levelling

David rosewarne

• 1984

• introduced estuary english

• less formal than RP

• more formal than cockney

• use of glottal stop and vocalisation of L

• found around thames estuary area

howard giles 1973

• 1973

• Introduced Accommodation theory- idea that people have different levels of formality of language at their disposal and will converge and diverge

• either to gain approval or to show identity

William labov 1966

• studied the procononantal /r/ in NYC department stores

• found that the lower middle class where most prone to overt prestige

William labov 1960s

• study into the accents and dialects of martha’s vineyard

• residents resisted dialect levelling due to wanting to differentiated themselves to the tourists (divergence)

• use of diphthongs with [aw] and [ay]

howard giles 1975

• investigated RP and Birmingham accents

• use the same speaker using two different accents to talk about psychology

• the RP speaker was rated higher in terms of sounding intelligent

Jonathon Harrington

• 2000

• tracked the changed in the queens speech over a 30 year period

• certain aspects of her speech moved to a general southern British variety

Thomas pear

• 1931

• people had different perceptions of a speaker depending on their accent that they heard them speak with

Peter trudgill

• 1974

• studied the -ng sound at the end of words in Norwich

• found the -g was dropped widely in lower social classes

• using covert prestige to carry their local identity

Dixon, Mahoney and Cocks

• used a ‘matched guise’ approach to explore the correlation between accent and perceived guilt

• suspects where seemed to be more guilty if the spoke in the non-standard Birmingham form