Awareness of English varieties among Swedish secondary school pupils
2012 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This essay reports on a study concerning awareness of English varieties among Swedish secondary school pupils. The aim is to find out whether Swedish secondary school pupils are aware of the differences between English varieties as regards pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary. In addition, the study aims at finding out whether pupils believe in preferences in their environment for any particular variety and what might be influencing their own preferences of English varieties.
The study is questionnaire-based and the respondents are all pupils in two 8th grade classes in Stockholm. The pupils seem to believe that they are aware of the differences between varieties, although only a little more than half of the respondents claim that this includes differences in vocabulary. High recognition is claimed for Indian, Scottish and Australian English.
As to preferences, British and American English dominate. Possible influences may be English textbooks claimed by the pupils to prefer mainly British English. Even English teachers are believed to have preferences mainly for British English but also American English. To the extent that friends are believed to have a preference, it is for American English. Less strong influences seem to come from the Internet, parents and school. The pupils seem to be exposed to English varieties to some extent, but apparently receive little explicit teaching which could increase awareness of English varieties.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2012.
Keywords [en]
English varieties, pupils, awareness, preferences, influences
National Category
General Language Studies and Linguistics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-70318OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-70318DiVA, id: diva2:480435
Presentation
2012-01-11, E890, Stockholm university, Stockholm, 14:06 (English)
Uppsok
Humanities, Theology
Supervisors
Examiners
2012-12-132012-01-192018-01-12Bibliographically approved