Investigating Swedes’ attitudes towards their own and other Swedes’ English accents

Abstract: Within the sociolinguistic field of accent attitudes, it has often been shown that both native and non-native speakers show preference for certain accents, especially for native varieties. This ‘native speakerism’ can have a negative impact on second language speakers, as the stigmatisation they may experience can hinder their willingness to speak. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate accent attitudes of an English as a second language speaker group: Swedish L1 speakers of English, focusing on their attitudes towards their own English accents and their attitudes towards other Swedes’ English accents. The relationship between these attitudes were also examined. In doing so, the study drew on Standard Language Ideology and Social Identity Theory as the theoretical frameworks. In order to answer the research questions, data was collected through a questionnaire which collected 612 responses. Respondents’ answers were then quantified into descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that most respondents were positive towards their own and other Swedes’ English accents. However, there was a strong conformity to the Standard Language Ideology amongst the participating Swedes. The participants generally did not have a strong need to express their Swedish identity through their Swedish accents, which could also be attributed to the strong native norm. The results also showed that native norms were stronger in English L2 settings, while Swedish identity was more important for those living in a native English-speaking country. Finally, those who were positive towards Swedes’ English accents were more likely to value their Swedish identity, while those who were negative towards other Swedes’ English accents were themselves more likely to conform strongly to native norms.