Reassessing ownership of English in ELF through self-perceived L2 identity and self- directed English accent preference among Hong Kong students in UK universities

Thesis

With English being the preeminent medium of international interaction, millions are learning and using English as an additional language: L2-users are outnumbering L1-users at an ever-growing rate. The relevance of native-speaker norms is thus called into question. In terms of pronunciation, L2-users are given more space to assert and communicate their identities by means of L1-influenced accents. While L2-users are the key participants of ELF interactions, ownership of English is no longer conceptualized as belonging exclusively to natives as English has become an integral part of many non-native speakers’ identity. However, Hong Kong L2-users’ adherence to native pronunciation appears to persist. The current study sought to understand the self-directed accent preference and their self-perceived L2 identity among Hong Kong students studying in UK universities. 116 UK-based Hong Kong students completed a questionnaire and 5 in-depth interviews were conducted. It was revealed that Hong Kong L2-users in the study largely prefer native accent despite regular ELF encounters. While questionnaire results show that participants display traits of ownership claim over English, this sense of ownership does not lead to a stronger appreciation for the L1-influence accent. Although many express that English constitutes a salient part of their identity, they choose not to reflect their claim of English ownership through accent choice. The strong preference for native accent appeared to be driven mainly by pragmatic reasons rather than identity-related reasons. Native accents are believed to ensure effective communication due to their high intelligibility, whereas Hong Kong accent was viewed as having marginal significance in signalling participants’ cultural identity but project an undesirable identity as incompetent L2- users.

Authors: Yim, YI

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-mq6dnovzp
• Type of award: MSc
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English