Uncovering the sociopolitical situatedness of accents in the world Englishes paradigm

Abstract

Despite a call for liberal acceptance of multiple standards of spoken English in some recent World Englishes discussions, English spoken with a non-native accent continues to be stigmatized, and attempts to eliminate one’s native accent for social and professional advancements have continued to shape and constitute the ESL/EFL speaker’s ethnic and sociocultural identities and subjectivities. Through a critical analysis of the research literature, and reflexive analysis of lived experiences of ESL/EFL speakers, the authors in this paper will explore how Anglo- and US-centric pronunciation norms continue to be privileged through institutional apparatuses such as media and education in post-colonial Hong Kong. The authors call for an ideological critique of the naturalization of Anglo-centric accents and a critical examination of the role played by ESL/EFL speaker accents on the life trajectories and sociocultural positioning of second and foreign English speakers through high-stake assessment mechanisms. The research task is thus both sociopolitical and applied linguistic theoretical: (1) sociopolitically how to create alternative discourses, re-imaginations and visions about what count as prestigious accents, (2) applied linguistic theoretically, how to develop research and pedgagogic paradigms that seek to enhance mutual intelligibility by “reverse” applied linguistic research and education: research on and development of applied linguistic programmess in educating the Anglo- or ethno-centric ear in the world’s diverse accents.