Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

2001

Thesis Director

Douglas Bock

Abstract

Through the birth and maturation of the American society, dominant cultures have developed and become the accepted norm of America. However, with the constant flow of immigrants entering America, a variety of cultures and languages entered, also. The English language has remained the dominant language, while Standard American English has remained the dominant accent. Those who do not display Standard American English (SAE) often fall victim to a lower level of speaker credibility than those who speak SAE. One's sex may also affect speaker credibility due to different communication styles. The affect one's combination of accent and sex has on his or her speaker credibility is explored in this study. The first study attempts to determine one's accent, sex, and the combination thereof, affects speaker credibility based on speech evaluation scores. The second study attempts to determine if the speech's subject matter affects one's evaluation scores, both non-SAE and SAE accented speakers. The research questions answered in the studies are the following: What is the difference in the evaluation of non-Standard American English accent speakers and Standard American English speakers based on accent? What is the difference in the evaluation of non-Standard American English accent speakers and Standard American English speakers based on sex? What is the difference in the evaluation of non-Standard American English accent speakers and Standard American English speakers based on the social-identity of the speaker? What is the difference in the evaluation of non-Standard American English accent speakers and Standard American English speakers based on the subject matter of the speech? The results of this three level study suggest that a significant difference exists in the evaluation scores based on the speakers' accent.

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