How do Icelanders assess people that speak with an accent?

An analysis of attitudes with a special focus on age and gender

Abstract

Attitudes to languages and language varieties are often diverse, generally being influenced by individuals’ backgrounds and environment. This study investigates which background variables influence evaluations of foreign-accented speech in Icelandic. 538 Icelanders evaluated eight audio cues according to eight personality traits connected with prestige and solidarity. The speakers (all female) represented the largest immigration groups in Iceland. They were from the following countries: USA, Denmark, the Philippines, Lithuania, Poland, Thailand, and Germany. Additionally, one native speaker of Icelandic was recorded. The verbal guise technique was employed, thus concealing speakers’ backgrounds. Statistical analysis revealed that women and those over 60 are generally more positive in their evaluation as compared to men or those under 60 years. Other background variables, such as residency, education or profession, showed much variance between individual accents and personality traits. The findings indicate that people’s background influences attitudes towards accents. Overall, results imply that those accents which can be categorized as Western are preferred to those that belong to Eastern Europeans or Asians. An ideological categorization of that kind has the power to potentially influence the deep-rooted linguistic climate in Iceland and to make way for a hierarchical system built on perceived nativeness and non-nativeness.