Presentation 2015-12-12
The effect of foreign accents by Japanese on employment-related decisions
Lisa Nabei,
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Abstract(in Japanese) (See Japanese page)
Abstract(in English) This study investigates how speakers’ accent impact their employability, specifically the effects of accented English by Japanese on the attitudes of the native English speakers (NESs). Despite the fact that Japanese university students are expected to acquire practical communicative proficiency in English at the point of their graduation, surprisingly little research attention has been paid to how such individuals are evaluated when they apply for jobs. The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of applicant accent on employment decisions across four jobs that differed on job status and communication demands. The study is to use a 3 (degree of accent: mild, middle and heavy)×2 (job status: high vs low)×2 (communication demands: high vs low) mixed factorial design. Approximately 20 NESs are expected to listen to the recorded mock employment interviews varied in the level of accentedness to rate the suitability and make a hiring decision about the applicant. The pragmatic significance of the findings will be highlighted and discussed in the context of necessity of pronunciation instruction at the university.
Keyword(in Japanese) (See Japanese page)
Keyword(in English) accent / accented English / listener attitude / employability / pronunciation instruction
Paper # TL2015-43
Date of Issue 2015-12-05 (TL)

Conference Information
Committee TL
Conference Date 2015/12/12(2days)
Place (in Japanese) (See Japanese page)
Place (in English) Room 303/304/305, Building #8, Waseda University
Topics (in Japanese) (See Japanese page)
Topics (in English) Theme 1: Language and Learning, Theme 2: Co-creation in a place, Emergence of meaning, Theme 3: Language and Law
Chair Tadahisa Kondo(Kogakuin Univ.)
Vice Chair Chiaki Kubomura(Yamano College of Aesthetics) / Masami Suzuki(KDDI R&D Labs.)
Secretary Chiaki Kubomura(Univ. of Tsukuba) / Masami Suzuki(Kyorin Univ.)
Assistant Eiji Tomida(Ehime Univ.) / Yasushi Tsubota(Kyoto Univ.)

Paper Information
Registration To Technical Committee on Thought and Language
Language ENG
Title (in Japanese) (See Japanese page)
Sub Title (in Japanese) (See Japanese page)
Title (in English) The effect of foreign accents by Japanese on employment-related decisions
Sub Title (in English)
Keyword(1) accent
Keyword(2) accented English
Keyword(3) listener attitude
Keyword(4) employability
Keyword(5) pronunciation instruction
1st Author's Name Lisa Nabei
1st Author's Affiliation Tokai University(Tokai Univ.)
Date 2015-12-12
Paper # TL2015-43
Volume (vol) vol.115
Number (no) TL-361
Page pp.pp.19-21(TL),
#Pages 3
Date of Issue 2015-12-05 (TL)