Abstract
This paper looks at the confusing tangle of data surrounding whether or not one's accent impacts upon one's perceived credibility in the eyes of others. The writer concludes that, while not unanimous, there does appear to be tentative support for the hypothesis that how people speak is almost as important as what they say. The writer maintains that it should also not be overlooked that ethnicity in general still plays a role in the "credibility gap" many minorities continue to grapple with in the eyes of others.

From the Paper
"The following paper will look at the confusing tangle of data surrounding whether or not one's accent impacts upon one's perceived credibility in the eyes of others. Poring over a number of representative studies, the next several pages will ultimately conclude that, while not unanimous, there does appear to be tentative support for the hypothesis that how people speak is almost as important (at least for a sizable number of the population) as what they say; it should also not be overlooked that ethnicity in general still plays a role in the "credibility gap" many minorities continue to grapple with in the eyes of others."

Tags:accent, credibility, testimony

Abstract
This paper is an extensive review of the ideas put forward in Lippi-Green's book, "English with an Accent". It begins with a short example of the extent of language discrimination. It continues to discuss why a stereotype of people who speak with an accent exists. It also explores the effects that communicating with "improper" English has on society. The paper explains that language is a flexible tool for denoting social status and social allegiances. The author concludes that language discrimination, although subconscious, should be brought to light and dealt with.

From the Paper
" In school clarity of thought is linked to written language, and there is little effort to separate written from spoken. The aim is to make children active members of literacy communities rather than language communities. The silencing of voices considered unworthy or unequal is done by statements (such as, "It is inappropriate for a law student to ask a question in Hawaii'ian Creole English") (Lippi-Green, 1997, p. 107). A child in the classroom may be criticized for using vernacular English instead of Standard. At home the same child may be criticized for using Standard at the dinner table instead of the family's home language. The task for students is to discern when it is appropriate to use one or the other. "

Tags:communication, language, society, stereotype, discrimination

Abstract
This paper examines the four sisters, their parents, the political backdrop, and the Dominican Republic's male-female nexus, which is so different from what one has come to view in America. The author points out that, in "How the Garcia Girls lost their Accent", which is set from the early 1960s to the mid 1980s, each sister brings her own dimensionality, which is a slice of what constitutes a woman. The paper states that the sisters' accents have completely changed; but, for better or worse, they have been fully assimilated into American culture.

From the Paper
"It is in Fifi's relationships with men that we see the most vagaries. The start of the novel shows that she is really a person who would support a stable family. She is headstrong and independent. She generally gets what she wants. She presents her parents with their first grandchildren a boy. She is the only one among her siblings that does not have a college degree, though there is no lack of intellect. Her husband is the most accomplished of all " the German nobody turned out to be a world class chemist."(p. 31) She seems to hold equal say in her marriage though her husband's character is not explored. Surprisingly, Fifi can adopt different roles."

Tags:political, male, female, dimensionality, assimilated

Abstract
"In the United States there is a plethora of languages spoken, with many second language English speakers demonstrating difficulty with the proper pronunciation of words (Small, 1994). MacNeil (2005) contends that for many not being capable of using "proper" English causes them to fail to communicate effectively and become frustrated in their interaction with others (p. 18). Yet, McNeil (2005) also contends that the American language that is spoken today is ever changing, with even native born speakers having difficulty understanding what is being said (p. 18). While it is evident that those who have difficulty communicating may long to improve their skills, programs that are intended to force a universal manager of speaking strip society of its diversity and negatively impact the identity of those within the social order. Newman (2002) states that accent reduction therapy in the United States has become a booming business in which former speech pathologists earn between $25-$150 an hour (p. 59). The concept behind accent reduction therapy is to reduce the accents that non-native English speakers possess in order to enhance their socialization and employment opportunities. "

From the Paper
Accent Reduction Therapy In the United States there is a plethora of languages spoken, with many second language English speakers demonstrating difficulty with the proper pronunciation of words (Small, 1994). MacNeil (2005) contends that for many not being capable of using "proper" English causes them to fail to communicate effectively and become frustrated in their interaction with others (p. 18). Yet, McNeil (2005) also contends that the American language that is spoken today is ever changing, with even native born speakers having difficulty understanding what is being said (p. 18). While it is evident that those who have difficulty communicating may long to

Tags:accent, reduction, therapy

Abstract
This paper examines Alvarez's novel "How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents" illustrating how the 'accent' is mostly a metaphor for the evolution of several facets of the sisters. 'Accents', become synonymous with a modern, west-influenced lifestyle where equality is introduced into the male-female nexus. The author concludes that the relationships of the four sisters really mirror the male-female relationships of the west and their accents have completely changed they have been fully assimilated into the Western culture.

From the Paper
"Interestingly, Julia Alvarez presents several unique characteristics in the narrative. The novel is set from the early 1960s to the mid 1980, but in reverse chronological order. Such a description helps develop the characters of the four sisters: Carla, Sandi (Sandra), Yolanda (YoYo aka Joe) and Fifi (Sofia). To put the plot in the right order: Carlos is a doctor in the Dominican Republic. Carlos is married to Laura. They have four daughters. Carlos's nuclear and extended family is wealthy and influential one of a few in the entire nation situated on an impoverished tropical South American Island. Fearing reprisals in the dictatorial reign of Trujillo Ciudad, called only Trujillo in the entire novel (assuming that every Dominican is familiar with the name), the family escapes to the United States."

Tags:julia, alvarez, west, male, female, sisters, synonym, modern

Abstract
This paper examines the arguments and findings of three articles that explain how the use of accents perpetuate stereotypes . These articles are: "Teaching Children How to Discriminate": "What We Learn From the Big Bad Wolf"; "Hillbillies, Rednecks and Southern Belles": "The Language Rebels" and "Does accent matter in international television advertisements?"

From the Paper
"The overall representation of persons with foreign accents was seen to be "far more negative" than that of speakers of US or British English. Lippi-Green found that 20 percent of characters with US English accents are bad characters, while about 40 percent of characters with non-native accents are evil (92). US or British English accents also index attractiveness in Disney films. "To be sexually attractive and available, a character must not only look the idealized part, but... also sound white and middle-class American or British" (97). It's fascinating to note that although every character in Aladdin was born and raised in an "Arabian" land, only the evil guards and sorcerer speak with a pseudo-Arabic accent. The protagonists speak like Californians."

Tags:accent, accents, acting, australian, commercials, films, northern, prejudice, racism, southern, stereotype, voice

Abstract
The author of the paper contends that, in order to understand the existence of accent or dialect bias, it is important to understand the historical and cultural framework within which the English language developed. In the paper, the author examines the history of the development of the English language as it relates to the preference expressed for a specific accent or dialect as being "correct".

From the Paper
"Language is a remarkably complicated but simple matter. Each language system--French, Japanese, African languages, etc.--has its own set of sounds or hand gestures that people who speak or use their hands to communicate other languages would find difficult to produce. In the United States, children learn English via the parts of speech. They learn that verbs are action words, nouns are people, places, things, or ideas, and adjectives are descriptors. Students taking English classes in the United States may feel that only English speakers must struggle through these lessons, they are wrong. In fact, language universals appear in each language. This means that while every language has different words, sounds, and meanings, all share similar parts of speech, a concept that allows a great deal of insight into the human mind (Fromkin, Rodman, and Hyams (17). In fact, while children in English language classrooms are taught the standard features of their language, they do not need formal education in order to understand the language. Instead, children begin to speak simply by hearing their parents and others in their environment speak."

Tags:history, culture, linguistics, roman, viking, norman, grammar, middle, english, shakespeare

Abstract
This paper compares three feminist Hispanic literary works: "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisnero, "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent" by Julia Alvarez, and "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina Garcia. The paper investigates how the issues of gender, race, ethnicity, belief, education, family and culture affect identity found in these literary works.

From the Paper
"During the last few decades, a new genre has emerged, the female Hispanic writer. These women are enriching the American literature landscape with their lyrical stories and ethnicity. They are telling stories of young girls, mothers, grandmothers, and friends, who have been transplanted from a culture a world away into the American dream. They are telling their own stories. Telling those who read their tales what it's really like to grow up with little or no knowledge of the language and customs, trying desperate to adapt and meld into American life, weaving old ways and new into their own identity."

Tags:race, ethnicity, belief, education, family, culture, affect, identity

Abstract
The writer of this paper details the plot as well as the main characters of each novel while focusing on the numerous similarities in both works of writing. This paper examines the manner in which both authors focus on the real-life problems encountered by Latin immigrants in the U.S. This paper delves into the numerous difficulties which awaited the immigrants upon their arrival to America including issues with gender, culture and class backgrounds. The writer contends and explains why the Garcia girls in Alvarez's novel did not assimilate completely in the U.S., even though they lost their native accents they continue to remain stuck between the two cultures unable to fully adapt to either one. This paper also delves into the topic of illegal immigration and the ensuing problems facing the characters in Boyle's novel.

From the Paper
"The Garcia girls come to the United States because of political reasons. They are forced to leave the Dominican Republic because their father got in trouble with the Dominican secret police for protesting the nation's ruling military dictatorship. In contrast, the immigrants of The Tortilla Curtain immigrate illegally, rather than with the help of the CIA like the Garcia girls. The immigrants from Mexico of The Tortilla Curtain do so to better their way of life, economically, rater than for political reasons, when they flee their nation to make their way to Southern California via Mexico. The Garcia girls come from a privileged background. They had enjoyed many, if not more of the toys and luxuries of their American counterparts. True, they still have trouble fitting in, when they come to America."

Tags:literature, review, latin, american, analysis, immigration, conflict

Abstract
This paper examines how in his fundamental work, "Biological Foundations of Language", the biolinguist Eric Lenneberg presents his critical period hypothesis on the idea that a certain age is appropriate for learning a language, so that it is impossible to achieve full competence before or after it. It attempts to demonstrate through the author's own survey how some teenagers are able to learn a foreign language and to talk accent-free, contrary to Lenneberg's hypothesis.
Outline
Introduction to the Critical Period Theory
When Does the Critical Period Start and Finish?
Russian Accent in Immigrants to Germany
Reference to Lenneberg
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Lenneberg subdivides the ongoing process of lateralization into five levels: an infant up to 20 months has identical hemispheres without functional differences; a toddler up to 36 months develops a preference for either the right or the left hand, but the responsibility for language still can easily switch an other hemisphere; a child up to 10 years is still able to reactivate language functions in the right hemisphere; in the early puberty - up to 14 years - the equipotentiality rapidly declines, and after that it is lost completely. Lenneberg talks about a "reactivation", not "creation" of the language function in the right hemisphere."

Tags:accent, acquisition, foreign, language, pronounciation, speech, tongue