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Article published In:
English World-Wide
Vol. 42:2 (2021) ► pp.175–199

Attitudinal research into Caribbean Englishes

New Englishes, new methods

| Ruhr University Bochum
| University of Münster

Language attitude research is crucial for a deeper understanding of New Englishes. However, the most common attitude research methods often cause problems when applied to New Englishes contexts. We discuss the benefits and challenges of different methods used in two attitude studies on the perception of linguistic variation in Jamaica and Trinidad. Five major issues arise out of the discussion: the careful consideration of abstract labels, the need for contextualized research and authentic source material, the limited view of written data collection with closed questions, the crucial role of the researcher, and the opportunities of mixed-methods research. These conclusions are particularly relevant for research on New Englishes but also for language attitude research in general.

Keywords: language attitudes, New Englishes, Caribbean Englishes, mixed methods
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Research methods in language attitude research
  • 3.Language attitudes in the Caribbean
  • 4.Case study I: Language attitude attitudes towards linguistic variation in Jamaican newscasts
  • 5.Case study II: Language attitudes in choral singing in Trinidad
  • 6.Methodological conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 21 April 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.00064.wil
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