Transcript Resource 17 Changing our language to fit in

Changing our language
to fit in
Overt (open) and covert (hidden) prestige
Resource 17
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Watch the clip from The Catherine Tate
Show
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How does ‘Lauren’ attempt to use
language to fit in?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=qSNK-9v7_JI
Resource 17
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Have you ever changed the words you use to
fit in to a new friendship group?
Do you try to copy your friends’ language?
If you are aware of changing your language/
words to fit in, this is called... Overt prestige
You are trying to be ‘cool’ and have some
‘street cred’ to be liked and fit in... We all do
it
Nobody wants to be excluded from social/
friendship groups!
Why change how we speak?
Resource 17
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How many of you have moved from one
place to another where there is a different
accent?
How has this affected the way you speak?
Has your accent changed? Why?
Have you been aware of the change?
Probably not!
This is called covert prestige – meaning
you are unaware of the change that has
happened!
When we are not aware of the
change!
Resource 17
Are some accents viewed more positively
than others?
 The south west – Received Pronunciation
aka The Queen’s English
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What about those accents that are viewed
negatively?
 Scousers; Geordies; Brummies?
 Is this fair?
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Favourable accents?!
Resource 17
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/recordings/i
ndex.shtml
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Listen to a few different accents
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What are your attitudes towards them?
Why?
Let’s have a listen...
Resource 17
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So why are some accents viewed as more
prestigious than others?
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The majority accent?
The history of the country – prestigious
areas?
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What about political correctness?
Should accent be considered in employment?
Are attitudes changing?
Conclusions
Resource 17