Words Apart: A Study of Attitudes Towards Varieties of South African Accents in a United States Employment Scenario

ISBN-10: 1339876140
ISBN-13: 9781339876146
Series: Words Apart
Pages: 144
Language: English
Published: 2016
Author: Sean Goatley-Soan

Description

Using the data collected from 223 respondents, this study examined American language attitudes towards the four major accents of South African English (SAfE) and several of their sub-varieties--White South African English (cultivated, general, and broad/Afrikaans); Black South African English (acrolect and mesolect); Indian South African English; and Cape Flats English. Using an online audio-based verbal-guise technique survey, this study investigated the perceived extent and effect, similarity, foreign accent identification, and employment probability towards the seven varieties of SAfE in hypothetical employment scenario.