Abstract

Sociocultural identity is defined for this study as the element of identity affixed to a social or cultural group. Previous research on sociocultural identity has recognized the need for further study of its effect on second language performance, particularly pronunciation. Previous studies have found contradictory results when studying the relationships between sociocultural identity and various measures of second language pronunciation. This thesis takes a quantitative correlational approach to the study of sociocultural identification with the United States and English pronunciation comprehensibility and accent in a group of 68 international students learning English in the United States. Participants completed a survey indicating the strength of their identification with the United States, after which a group of three native speaking raters rated speech samples from the participants for both comprehensibility and accent. Scores from the identity survey were compared with those on the comprehensibility and accent ratings through a FACET analysis. Results showed no correlation between sociocultural identification with the United States and ESL pronunciation in either comprehensibility or accent. These results add further complexity to existent scholarship on identity and pronunciation and lead to a discussion of implications for future study.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Linguistics and English Language

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2019-03-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd11083

Keywords

sociocultural identity, pronunciation, comprehensibility, accent, ESL, international students, United States

Language

English

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