The Attitudes of ESL Learners towards Native and Non-native Variety English Accent. A Study of Two Universities

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Problem statement:

1.2 Motivation of the study:

1.3 Background of the study:

1.4.1 Status of English Language

1.4.2 Pakistani English:

1.5 Research Objectives:

1.6 Research Questions:

1.7 Significance of Research:

1.8 Summary of Chapter:

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Attitude:

2.1.2 Language Attitudes:

2.1.3 Research on Language Attitude in Pakistan:

2.2 Learner's concern towards Accent:

2.2.1 Attitude of learners towards non-native varities of Englishes:

2.2.2Three groups of English speakers:

2.2.4 Standard v/s Non-standard:

2.3 World Englishes:

2.3.1 World Englishes In Global Context:

2.3.2 Attitude of learners towards world Englishes:

2.3.3 World Englishes and Learner's Attitude Towards it:

2.3.4 Attitude towards Varieties of World Englishes:

2.3.5 Research to Measure the Attitudes of Learners towards World Englishes:

2.4 English in Pakistan:

2.4.2 Pakistani English:

2.4.4 Attitudinal research on Pakistani English:

2.6 Research Gap

2.7 Theoretical Framework

2.8 Summary of the chapter:

Chapter 3

Research Methodology

Introduction

3.1 Quantitative Methodology

3.2 Research Design

3.2.1 Descriptive Research Design

3.3 Population of the study

3.3.1 Target population

3.3.2 Accessible Population

3.3.3 Justification for selecting population

3.4 Sampling of Study

3.4.1 Random Sampling

3.5 Sample Size

3.6 Instrumentation

3.6.1 Research questionnaire

3.7 Pilot study

3.7.1 Validation of The Instrument

3.7.2 Reliability of the instrument

3.7.2.1 Cronbach Alpha Test

3.7.2.2 Test-Retest

3.8 Data collection procedure

3.9 Data Analysis Procedure

3.9.1 Descriptive Statistics Analysis

3.9.1 Univariate Analysis

3.9.2 Reason for not Choosing Test

3.10 Summary of this Chapter

Chapter 4

Data Analysis and Findings of the Study

4. Cross-Sectional Survey Design

4.1 Data Analysis

4.1.1 Frequency

4.1.2 Mean

4.1.3 Standard Deviation

4.2 Findings

4.2 Gender Based Frequencies

4.2 Descriptive Results

4.3 University-Based Frequencies

4.4 Frequency of Each Respondent

4.5 frequency of Second Statement

4.6 Frequency of Third Statement

4.7 Frequency of fourth statement

4.8 Frequency of Fifth Statement.

4.9 Frequency of sixth statement

4.10 Frequency of seventh statement

4.11 Frequency of Eighth Statement

4.12 Frequency of Ninth statement

4.13 Frequency of Tenth statement

4.14 Frequency of eleventh statement

4.15 Frequency of twelfth statement

4.16 Frequency of Thirteen Statement

4.17 Frequency of Fourteenth Statement

4.18 Frequency of fifteenth statement

4.19 Frequency of Sixteen Statement

4.20 Frequency of seventeen statement

4.21 Frequency of eighteen statement

4.22 Frequency of Nineteen Statement

4.23 Frequency of twenty statement

4.24 Frequency of Twenty-one Statement

4.25 Frequency of Twenty-two Statement

4.26 Frequency of Twenty-three Statement

4.27 Frequency of Twenty-four Statement

4.28 Frequency of Twenty-five Statement

4.29 Frequency of Twenty-six Statement

4.30 Frequency of Twenty-seventh Statement

4.31 Frequency of Twenty-eighth Statement

4.31 Descriptive explanation results regarding above tables

4.32 Descriptive Statistics

4.33 Explanation of Descriptive Results

4.34 Explanation of Computed Descriptive Statistics

4.35 Mean Descriptive Statistics

4.35 Explanation of Mean Descriptive Statistics

Chapter five

5.1 Discussion of the Findings

5.2 Findings of the RQ1

5.3 Discussion of RQ 2

5.4 Discussion of Frequency Table

Chapter six

Conclusion

6.1 Recommendation for future studies

6.2 Limitations of this study

6.3 Contribution of this study

6.4 Implication of this study

6.5 Research Ethics

Research Objectives and Focus Themes

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes held by ESL learners regarding different varieties of English, with a specific focus on their preferences for native (British and American) versus non-native (Pakistani) English accents, and to determine the extent to which these learners are motivated to adopt a Pakistani English accent.

• Exploration of World Englishes and its core variants.
• Learner attitudes and accent perception mechanisms.
• Comparison of Standard English versus non-native varieties.
• Sociological and pedagogical impacts on accent preference.
• Instrumental motivation for English language learning in Pakistan.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

CHAPTER ONE: This chapter introduces the global spread of English, provides the problem statement and research objectives, and defines key terms related to language attitudes and World Englishes.

CHAPTER TWO: This chapter reviews existing literature on language attitudes, English as a lingua franca, and the status of Pakistani English as a distinct variety within the World Englishes framework.

Chapter 3: This chapter outlines the quantitative research methodology, descriptive survey design, sampling techniques, and the instrumentation used for data collection from two public universities.

Chapter 4: This chapter presents the data analysis and findings, utilizing frequency distributions, mean values, and standard deviations to interpret participant attitudes toward different English accents.

Chapter five: This chapter discusses the survey findings in detail, linking empirical results back to the initial research questions regarding learner attitudes toward native versus non-native accents.

Chapter six: This final chapter concludes the thesis, providing recommendations for future studies based on the findings and discussing the limitations and overall contribution to the field.

Keywords

World Englishes, Accentism, Attitudes, ESL learners, Standard English, Native Varieties, Non-native Variety, Pakistani English, Accents, Linguistic Features, Language Policy, Pronunciation, Socio-linguistics, Language Acquisition, English Language Teaching.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

The research focuses on investigating how ESL learners at Pakistani universities perceive the various accents of the English language and which varieties they prefer, specifically examining the balance between native and non-native norms.

What are the central thematic areas?

The key themes include the concept of World Englishes, the influence of standard (British/American) versus non-standard accents, sociolinguistic attitudes, and the instrumental role of English as a gateway to professional success in Pakistan.

What is the primary objective of the study?

The study aims to explore whether students favor standard native accents, if they are aware of Pakistani English as a valid variety, and the level of motivation they possess to adopt specific accent characteristics.

Which methodology does the research employ?

The researcher uses a quantitative methodology, specifically a cross-sectional survey design, to gather and analyze data from 100 final-year linguistics students via a Likert-scale questionnaire.

What does the main body of the work cover?

The main body covers a literature review on functional attitudes, a detailed discussion of the World Englishes paradigm, and a comprehensive analysis of survey results concerning student preferences and perceptions of English.

What keywords characterize the work?

The work is characterized by terms such as World Englishes, Accentism, ESL learners, Pakistani English, and Standard English.

How is the concept of "Standard English" perceived in the study?

The study notes that "Standard English" is largely perceived as a prestigious social dialect, often tied to professional success, which leads many learners to prioritize native-like pronunciation over other communicative aspects.

What role does "Instrumental motivation" play?

The research applies functional theory, suggesting that students often adopt or favor specific accents purely for instrumental benefits, such as job prospects or social status, rather than out of purely linguistic or motivational interest.

What does the "Discussion" chapter conclude regarding Pakistani English?

It concludes that while students are increasingly aware of Pakistani English as a distinct variety, they still hold mixed attitudes and often default to a preference for "Standard" (native) English due to societal pressures and perceived hierarchies.

What is "accentism" as referred to in the findings?

Accentism is identified as a self-created psychological barrier or "speaking phobia," where students feel stress or inferiority when their natural or local accent deviates from native norms.