American Tongues

(Question 1): This research project was done in the 1986. If you were to re-do this project today, at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, what might you as a researcher do differently? What would you do the same?

They did a good job of interviewing and showing people in public situations. Something I would do different is showing other people in public. It seemed as if they used the same men over and over in the first clip to represent the public. If it was the 21st century, I would obviously use more update clothes and scenes.

(Question 2): What are some of the flaws with the study? Are there any groups that are under-represented? Over-represented? How might you make the study more appealing to an audience (visually, instructionally, etc?)

Thinking back on the videos, they mainly talked about southern accents. I remember them mentioning other accents such as new york or Manhattan only a few times. I think they could have used more examples showing how people talk rather than explaining it. They also should have had more of a variety.

(Question 3): In your opinion (and based on some of the things discussed in the clips), how important is language in terms of how we perceive others? What is revealed (or others think is revealed) about us when we talk?

I think a lot of people unfortunately think that if you have a VERY strong southern accent their education level might be lower. The last clip also said that having an Inner city Boston accent made woman assume he was Italian and like him, and men think he was from the city and would "pull a gun or shank on him".