Voices and Processing

Abstract

Accents are distinctive modes of pronunciation of various languages depending on region, nation, or social class (Merriam Dictionary 2011). In different regions of the world, let alone other countries, accents vary from person to person. Accents are indicators that people use when making impressions and expectations for another person. The current research examined how people's impressions are impacted when confronted with an accent they are unfamiliar with. Forty-two English speaking undergraduate students at a State University of New York participated in this study with various survey questions after listening to multiple words spoken by the reader with either a native, foreign familiar accent, or foreign unfamiliar accent. There were no significant differences between accent conditions, but some trends were in the expected direction. Implications for the study are discussed. Keywords: accents, familiar, unfamiliar, likeability, appeal, comprehension.