Language Attitudes of Missourians

Saturday, 7:00am to 8:00am
Windgate Hall
SP32
Language attitudes are the ways in which people think about their own language variety and the language variety of others. These attitudes can influence social interactions, educational policy, employment and housing. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze information about the language attitudes among Missouri residents. Due to the lack of research available on the subject of Missourians' attitudes regarding variations of language use and dialects of spoken English, the purpose of this study is to collect and analyze information that examines this specific topic. Individual participants were adults (18 and older) who currently lived in Missouri for at least a year, or who had lived in Missouri previously for at least four years. Participants were asked to complete an anonymous online survey that assessed their attitudes and impressions regarding language and dialectal variations of English in relation to level of education, socioeconomic status and social prestige. Recorded voice samples of different dialectal variations of English with accompanying questions regarding listener impressions were also utilized; examples of recorded samples included African American English, rural, and English language learner dialects. Demographic information of participants, including the zip codes and length of time lived in other cities and countries, was gathered for statistical purposes.
Track: 
Multi-Interest