Saturday, May 03, 2008

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Accents


Accent. Does it matter in understanding a person or is it only about an attitude that reflects the social structure of the society?

From a prescriptive approach the conclusion to this question would vary greatly from that of a descriptive attitude but whatever the opinion, it is inevitable that language has changed, is changing and will continue to whether is it accepted by all or not. As prescriptivists see language change as decay, any accent except their consideration of ?standard? would be condemned, including the widely spreading Estuary English often perceived as loutish and ignorant. This approach dates back to the 19th century when language was linked to standards of behaviour; just as there were respectable ways to behave, there was a respectable way to speak. This idea remains to the present day with certain accents, namely regional such as Scottish and Liverpudlian having negative connotations for dishonesty for example. As people powerful, educated and high status in society spoke with a received pronunciation, historically a favoured accent by the media also, it began to establish an air of authority and the desire to change ones personal status would often begin with the change or emphasis of a received pronunciation. The prescriptive maintenance of Standard English seems impossible, as even Received Pronunciation with its high prestige and very few regional elements is changing according to the changing needs of society. In the media now we hear a much wider variety of regional accents and a large amount of Estuary English, despite claims that these accents are incorrect and the voiced opinion of prescriptivists that these are not valued.

In 1985 Wells said?
?We make an instant and unconscious judgement about a stranger?s class affiliation on the basis of accent?

Most linguists today would favour a descriptive approach and would see language change as in inevitable response to the changing needs of society rather than a change for the better or the worse. As accent only depends on the phonology of language, descriptivists would argue that as long as the other aspects of the dialect are comprehendible the accent could differ in any way at all and would not be an inconvenience to society, as prescriptivists would argue. In the Guardian newspaper in 1999 John Keegan wrote of Jamie Shea?

?It has been a terrible mistake to allow NATO?s case to be presented by Jamie Shea who sounds like the manager of a lower division football club?

In this situation social prejudices are revealed as the journalist outlines his opinion of the Estuary English spoken by Shea, suggesting that his accent restricts his ability to be, or even sound, intelligent. In reality Jamie Shea has an Oxford PhD and speaks fluently in four languages. Despite the most high status and ?properly? spoken powerful prescriptivists intended to maintain Standard English it appears that they are fighting a losing battle against a majority whose dialects, including accents, are naturally and inevitably changing with little social prejudice against the wider range of accents heard through the media. Despite there being more acceptance of change on behalf of the descriptivists, unconscious opinions are still made about people regarding their accent and social class, education, occupation and personality. With stereotyping, assumptions are made upon accents and this does not just apply to prejudice against regional or non-standard accents, people speaking with Received Pronunciation are not held in so much prestige covertly as they are within their own sociolinguistic group, just as changing, ?non standard? and regional accents are stigmatised by the prescriptivists who maintain their ?proper? accents.

Obviously, accent does matter to many people. This is why everyday we hear examples of convergence and divergence, whether it be upwardly or downward, people do change the way they speak to accommodate the person being addressed; to be accepted or to create an apparent difference by accentuating speech. Females more commonly upwardly converge; this shows their greater awareness of social status and the effect that accent has on portraying this class. We are not versatile enough to be able to speak our idiolect and then just as naturally shift to another, descriptivists would argue that we need to accept that our language will reflect this.

The age of a speaker may also have an effect on their value of accent, a member of the older generation may think it be important to keep traditions. The subordinate role of women in a male dominated society in the past my also have an effect on the correct way of speaking perceived by the people in society brought up while the language of court and BBC English were held in such high regard over other accents. It could be considered politically correct to accept all types of accents, regional or standard, but despite this being intended, it is as difficult to prevent people from forming their own opinions as it would be to attempt to conform all to speak in a certain accent. Officially we should not think that any accent is ?better? than another, John Honey said?

?the subject is virtually taboo in our schools?

In reality what constitutes Received Pronunciation is very different from what used to be, and this is how the differences in opinion of this change have arisen.

We do not always initially accept an accent, and not every person will accept the same accents or adopt the same accents but they will always change and as Benjamin Wharf said?

?Language leaks?.

We cannot do anything to control it, halt the changes or stop it, individually it is possible to maintain, but not necessarily prolong the way we speak to the generations after us. Whether in the frame of mind of a prescriptivist, believing language is decaying or with the opinion of a descriptivist that it is progressing and becoming more precise, there is no denying that language is changing. Accent is simply one factor that identifies this change that matters in different amounts to different people. Judging a person by the way they look or their religion is incorrect so why is I any different to judge them by their accent?

The article was produced by the member of masterpapers.com.
Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at term papers. Get some useful tips for thesis and buy term papers.



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