英语专业大学生英美英语态度偏好与实际口音特点研究

A study of Chinese university students’ attitude to American and British English

本研究用言语变体实验法考察了101个英语专业大学生对英美英语的态度和认同感,再用实际英语口音测试法检测了其实际英语口音特点。结果发现,由于美国英语活力的影响,被试对美国英语的态度和认同感已超过对英国英语的态度和认同感,在权势地位、语言亲和力和语言表现力维度上,他们对美国英语的评价都优于对英国英语的评价,表现出更偏好美国英语的趋势;被试对美国英语的口音特点也有较高的识别能力,且多数人愿意以美国英语为模仿学习对象。但是,他们的实际英语口音则是三分之二为RP、三分之一为GA的混合体,表现出更多的英国口音的特点。这表明,语言活力的确影响语言态度,但语言态度与语言行为并非完全一致。

This paper reports on an investigation into the relationship between language vitality, language attitude and language behavior. Two empirical studies were conducted and participants were 101 Chinese university students who majored in English. The first study used the verbal-guise technique to examine the participants’attitude toward American and British English and their identity with these two English varieties. The second study looked into the features of the participants’ actual English accents by an English accent reading test. The results showed that the Chinese university students had stronger preference to and identity with American English. They rated American English much higher in the dimensions of power / status, solidarity, and language expressive competence, and preferred American accent as their model of pronunciation. However, their English demonstrated more features of Received Pronunciation accent. These findings suggest that language vitality can indeed influence second language learners’ language attitude, but language attitude may not necessarily shape their language behavior.