Accent in Our Language

Author : Mary Anne Winslow
It goes without saying that it is very important initially to distinguish between accent and dialect, as accent refers solely to differences of pronunciation, where as
dialect refers to differences between kinds of language which are
difference in vocabulary and grammar, as well as pronunciation.
Standard English is a dialect, simply one dialect amongst many to
apply to all varieties, not just to non standard varieties. Peter
Trudgill says…"There is no universally acknowledged standard accent for English, and
it is, at least in theory, possible to speak Standard English with any
social or regional accent".
Attitudes towards non standard accents are attitudes that reflect the
social structure of society resulting in the prescriptive and
descriptive approaches to accent.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 behavior; 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 favored 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 judgment about a stranger's class
affiliation on the basis of accent".
Most linguists today would favor 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".Accent is a matter of fashion, changing with the times. A standardized
spoken language cannot possibly denote a truly egalitarian and
democratic age. With role models and respected others speaking in
particular accents and providing an inspiration to impressionable
others, accent may suddenly become the all important image-affecting
factor that it never was before. The media is greatly responsible for
the acceptance and disagreement with accent; it is a means of voicing
opinions about accents openly and subtly as well introducing different
dialects in a familiar, but not personal, process to increase
awareness and therefore reception.Geographical mobility has
encouraged the change of accent, if it is fashionable to live in the
city people often consciously or sub consciously speak as the
vernacular city-dwellers do, or the opposite movement from the city by
the habitants. These fashion affecting factors are perhaps how estuary
English spread from being spoken in London and the south-east and
established its up-to-the-minute image as a classless accents that
appeals to so many for that reason exactly, the inability of our
status to be calculated from the way we speak rather than the actual
words we say. Apparently even the queen speaks estuary English showing
that accent is clearly something that matters (as this has not always
been the case) and is an issue concerned with relating to the people
of her very own country, in an article written in the Observer Nigella
Lawson wrote…"Language is nothing but a social tool; as society changes so much
speech change within it".
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?Mary Anne has been writing for custom essay writing service for 5 years. You can ask her about college esays or dissertation writing service.
Keyword : language, accent