Non-native English speakers’ attitude toward accent-shift: A case study of Indonesian students in the U.S

Mainake, Eugenie

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/110985 Copy

Description

Title

Non-native English speakers’ attitude toward accent-shift: A case study of Indonesian students in the U.S

Author(s)

Mainake, Eugenie

Issue Date

2021

Keyword(s)

• Linguistics
• Language
• Attitude
• Accent-shift
• Indonesian students
• NES
• NNES

Abstract

A number of prior studies have explored international students’ (Asian, South America, Europe) accented speech and addressed issues such as the Native English Speakers’ (NES) negative reactions and the loss of identity due to the tendency to shift from foreign accents to native English accents (Derwing 2003; Gluszek & Dovidio 2010; Kumagai 2013; McCrocklin & Link 2016). However, little work is focused on Indonesian students’ accented English speech in English speaking countries, as in the U.S particularly, considering the US Department of State and the IIE report in 2018 that the increasing number of Indonesian students studying in the U.S ranked 19th among other countries (China, India, etc.). The present study, therefore, investigated the Indonesian students’ perceptions on their own accents and potential factors leading to accent-shift in interacting with the NES. Mix-methods research was employed and involved (n =75) Indonesian students currently pursuing higher education in the U.S. Participants filled out a survey of 14 Likert-scale items and 2 open-ended questions. The findings demonstrate the ambivalent attitude vis-à-vis the participants’ desire as the nonnative English speakers (NNES) to have a native-like English accent (M=3.65, SD =1.10). However, the majority of participants greatly recognized their own salient Indonesian accent when speaking English (M=3.76, SD=1.05). In light of the participants’ responses, the study subsequently suggeststwo major factors that vastly contribute to participants’ accent-shift: psychological and social. In spite of a profound respect and compliment toward Indonesian accented English speech and English proficiency from the NES, the social factor has indicated a subtle degree of accent discrimination toward the participants that encompasses the notions of power dynamic and intelligibility of accent which the NES holds. Thus, examining the NNES, Indonesian students, attitude toward their accent-shift provided better understanding on self-perceived accent and disseminated native and non-native dichotomy in the U.S.

Publisher

Studies in the Linguistic Sciences: Illinois Working Papers

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/110985

Owning Collections