Questionnaire

This questionnaire is just for research purposes and your identity will remain concealed and confidential, only complete this questionnaire if you want to as you are not obliged to complete it and you do not have to finish it if you feel that you should not answer them. 

1. How are old are you? Please circle your answer (25-30)   (31-35)   (36-40)   (40+)
2.   How would you define ethnicity?
3.   How would you define Standard English?
4.   How far do you agree that Standard English has changed over the years?
5.   Do you think the influence of other cultures has impacted the English language? If yes how has it had an impact? Yes or No
6.   Do you believe the impact of other cultures has been positive or negative on the English language and why? Positive or Negative
7.   Which sentence do you think is better? A or B
   

   1. I ain't step on no line.
   2. I didn’t step on that line.
8.  Explain your reasons for why you chose the sentence?
9.   Give one example of a culture that has had a great impact on the English language?
10.  What is your opinion on other dialects of English language compared to Standard English?

Accent and Dialect

Essex accent

The Essex accent is a version of non-standard English which consists of a lot of slang. This variant of English language compared to Standard English is easily translatable however there are some differences between the Essex dialect and Standard English, these include:

•     New words invented e.g. 'sort' meaning good looking

•     More frequent use of elision

•     New meanings of Standard English words e.g. 'sick' meaning good/cool

•     Higher use of fillers e.g. 'like'

•     High use of simple, monosyllabic words

Aspects of Dialect

•     The words are elided in order to keep a flow to the conversation and make it a faster conversation e.g. Correctly > ‘creckly’

•     The shortening of some elongated vowel sounds e.g. been > ‘bin’

•     The combining of words to get a point across faster or get people's attention quicker e.g. you guys > 'youse'

London Accent 'Cockney'

The most common accent in London is that of the cockney accent, this accent originates from East London and uses a large amount of slang and lower register language as well as some other traits which include:

•     Th-fronting which is where in certain words the 'th' sound changes to another consonant sound such as thing > 'fing' and this > 'dis'

•     The missing pronunciation of some sounds at the start of words e.g. house > 'ouse'

•     The miss pronunciation of the letter 't' in some words such as better > 'be'uh' 

Aspects of Dialect - rhyming slang

•     'would you Adam and Eve it' meaning would you believe it

•     'pigs ear' meaning beer

•     'pete tong' meaning its all gone wrong

Geordie

The Geordie accent is one that is dominant upon Tyne-side in Newcastle and is very similar to that of the Welsh accent however it is more aggressive in nature and this accent also consists of high amounts of lower register language, this accents traits are:

•     Aggressive

•     Harsh

•     Lower register 

Aspects of Dialect

•     High use of taboo words

•     Replacements of words for certain meanings 'mortal' meaning drunk, 'aye' meaning yes

•     Different phonetic sounds for different words were > 'wuh'