Investigating language and ethnicity in London:

Production and perception data

Eivind Torgersen1, Paul Kerswill1, Sue Fox2 and Arfaan Khan2

Lancaster University1, Queen Mary, University of London2

1

UKLVC7 Newcastle 1-3 September 2009

Investigators:Investigators:Investigators:Investigators:Paul KerswillPaul KerswillPaul KerswillPaul Kerswill (Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)

�� LinguisticLinguisticLinguisticLinguisticLinguisticLinguisticLinguisticLinguistic innovators: the English of innovators: the English of innovators: the English of innovators: the English of innovators: the English of innovators: the English of innovators: the English of innovators: the English of adolescents in Londonadolescents in Londonadolescents in Londonadolescents in Londonadolescents in Londonadolescents in Londonadolescents in Londonadolescents in London (2004(2004(2004(2004(2004(2004(2004(2004––––––––7)7)7)7)7)7)7)7)�� Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the Multicultural London English: the emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of emergence, acquisition and diffusion of a new variety a new variety a new variety a new variety a new variety a new variety a new variety a new variety (2007(2007(2007(2007(2007(2007(2007(2007––––––––10)10)10)10)10)10)10)10)

Investigators:Investigators:Investigators:Investigators:Paul KerswillPaul KerswillPaul KerswillPaul Kerswill (Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)Jenny CheshireJenny CheshireJenny CheshireJenny Cheshire (Queen Mary, University of London(Queen Mary, University of London(Queen Mary, University of London(Queen Mary, University of London))))Research Associates:Research Associates:Research Associates:Research Associates:Sue FoxSue FoxSue FoxSue Fox, , , , Arfaan KhanArfaan KhanArfaan KhanArfaan Khan, (Queen Mary, University of , (Queen Mary, University of , (Queen Mary, University of , (Queen Mary, University of London)London)London)London)Eivind TorgersenEivind TorgersenEivind TorgersenEivind Torgersen (Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)(Lancaster University)

E· S· R· CECONOMIC& S O C I A L RESEARCH C O UNCIL

Funded by the Economic and Social Research CouncilFunded by the Economic and Social Research CouncilFunded by the Economic and Social Research CouncilFunded by the Economic and Social Research Councilhttp://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/innovators/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/innovators/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/innovators/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/innovators/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/multicultural/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/multicultural/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/multicultural/http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/projects/linguistics/multicultural/

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Research questions of MLE project

�Is it age-graded?

�Characterisation of the ‘multiracial vernacular’ of London:

� Is it ethnically neutral?� Is it ethnically neutral?

� Is it regionally neutral?

• Are there differences between areas within London?

4

Comparison of production data: teenagers from different areas have very similar vowel systems

Hackney 2005 teenagers MLE project teenagers

200

ɪ

u:

200

u:

5

2500 2000 1500 1000 500800

650

500

350

F1 (Hz)

F2 (Hz)

ɪ

ε

æ

ʊ

ʌ

ɒ

ɑ:

eɪ

aʊ

əʊ

ɔɪ

aɪ

2500 2000 1500 1000 500800

650

500

350

F1 (Hz)

F2 (Hz)

ɪ

æ

ʊ

ʌ

e ɒ

u:

ɑ:

Development in vowel system4 year olds 8 year olds

800

650

500

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F1 (Hz)

ɪ

ε

æ

ʊ

ʌ

ɒ

u:

ɑ:

eɪ

aʊ

əʊ

ɔɪ

aɪ

800

650

500

350

200

F1 (Hz)

ɪ

ε

æ

ʊ

ʌ ɒ

u:

ɑ:

eɪ

aʊ

əʊɔɪ

aɪ

12 year olds Teenagers (2008)

2500 2000 1500 1000 500800

650

500

350

200

F1 (Hz)

F2 (Hz)

ɪ

ε

æ

ʊ

ʌ

ɒ

u:

ɑ:

eɪ

aʊ

əʊ

ɔɪ

aɪ

2500 2000 1500 1000 500800

650

500

350

200

F1 (Hz)

F2 (Hz)

ɪ

ε

æ

ʊ

ʌ

ɒ

u:

ɑ:

eɪ

aʊ

əʊ

ɔɪ

aɪ

2500 2000 1500 1000 500800

F2 (Hz)

2500 2000 1500 1000 500800

F2 (Hz)

Research questions for the MLE perception study

1. Given our hypothesis that Multicultural London English is

ethnically neutral, can we identify individuals (of differing

ethnic backgrounds) whose accents do not reveal ethnic

background?

2. Are some accents more ethnically identifiable than others?2. Are some accents more ethnically identifiable than others?

– Is there an interaction with local accent?

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Perception test in London

• Classification of real speech– 10 second sound clip per speaker

– Examine effect of the sociolinguistic factor of friendship network on classification of ethnicity and geographical location of the speakergeographical location of the speaker

– All listeners from inner London

– Listeners aged 12 or 17 (N=68)

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Friendship network scores of speakers

• 1: all friends same ethnicity as self

• 2: up to 20% of a different ethnicity

• 3: up to 40% of a different ethnicity

• 4: up to 60% of a different ethnicity• 4: up to 60% of a different ethnicity

• 5: up to 80% of a different ethnicity

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Who are the speakers?

Megan Hackney Anglo 3 (mainly Anglo network)

Andrew Hackney Anglo 3 (mainly Anglo network)

Laura Hackney Anglo 5 (multiethnic network)

Ryan Hackney Anglo 5 (multiethnic network)

Sulema Hackney Non-Anglo (‘other’) 5 (multiethnic network)Sulema Hackney Non-Anglo (‘other’) 5 (multiethnic network)

Kirsty Hackney Non-Anglo (‘Asian’) 5 (multiethnic network)

Grace Hackney Non-Anglo (‘black’) 5 (multiethnic network)

Dom Hackney Non-Anglo (‘other’) 4 (multiethnic network)

Amjad Hackney Non-Anglo (‘Asian’) 5 (multiethnic network)

Chris Hackney Non-Anglo (‘black’) 5 (multiethnic network)

Kelly Havering Anglo 2 (mainly Anglo network)

Dale Havering Anglo 2 (mainly Anglo network)10

• Plus four Birmingham voices:

– 2 female, 2 male

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– 2 female, 2 male

– One Afro-Caribbean, one White for each sex

Significant effects

�Only speaker’s friendship network had a significant effect on identifications of speaker ethnicity and location

• Speaker sex was not significant

• Listener age, sex and ethnicity were notsignificant

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Forced-choice judgements of Havering (‘Essex’) Anglo

(score 2) voices in terms of ethnicity and location

40

50

60

Dale Kelly

60

70

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90

100

Dale Kelly

0

10

20

30

Birmingham Essex London Manchester

-

10

20

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40

50

White Black Asian

13Judgement of ethnicity of speakers

based on voice sample

Judgement of location of speakers

based on voice sample

Forced-choice judgements of Hackney Anglo voices (score 3

and 5) voices in terms of ethnicity and location

50

60

70

Andrew

Ryan

Megan

Laura

60

70

80

90

Andrew

Ryan

Megan

Laura

0

10

20

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40

Birmingham Essex London Manchester14

0

10

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50

White Black Asian Other

Forced-choice judgements of Hackney non-Anglo (score 4

and 5) voices in terms of ethnicity and location

60

70

80

90

Dom

Sulema

Amjad

Chris

Grace

Kirsty

60

70

80

90

100

Dom

Sulema

Amjad

Chris

Grace

Kirsty

0

10

20

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40

50

Birmingham Essex London Manchester0

10

20

30

40

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60

White Black Asian Other 15

Forced-choice judgements of Birmingham voices by London

listeners in terms of ethnicity and location

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70

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90

100

White Black Asian

40

50

60

White Black

0

10

20

30

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Male AfroC Male White Female AfroC Female White0

10

20

30

Birmingham Essex London Manchester

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Listeners (n=33) and voices from Birmingham in terms of

ethnicity and location

60

70

80

90

100

White Black

40

50

60

White Black

17

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Male AfroC Male White Female AfroC Female White

0

10

20

30

Birmingham Essex London

Birmingham listeners and London voices in terms of

ethnicity and location

40

50

60

Dale

Kelly

60

70

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90

100

Dale

Kelly

18

0

10

20

30

Birmingham Essex London

-

10

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50

White Black

Birmingham listeners and London voices in terms of

ethnicity and location

50

60

70

80

90

Andrew

Ryan

Megan

Laura

Chris 40

50

60

70

Andrew

Ryan

Megan

Laura

Chris

Grace

19

0

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40

50

White Black

Chris

Grace

0

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30

40

Birmingham Essex London

Results: ethnicity

• Anglos from Havering (Essex) with Network Score 2

are overwhelmingly identified as ‘white’

• Anglos from Hackney with Network Score 3 are

identified as ‘white’, but less consistently than Network

score 2score 2

• Anglos from Hackney with Network score 5 are least

often identified as ‘white’

• Non-Anglos from Hackney with Network score 4 and

5 are identified in disparate ways

• This suggests lack of specific ethnic marking among Non-Anglos in London

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Results: location• Listener were fairly good at distinguishing

between local and non-local voices

• But:

– Birmingham ‘black’ voices were more often heard as

coming from London (London listeners)coming from London (London listeners)

– MLE-voices are heard as coming from cities

• But it’s difficult to hear which city it is

• Lack of familiar geographical marking = heard as coming from London

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Results: location

• ‘White’ traditional voices are heard as coming from Essex (or supposed non-multicultural areas, such Birmingham (for Birmingham listeners))listeners))

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Summary• Inner London speech is more ethnically neutral than

outer London speech

• Traditional speech, whether from Birmingham or

London/Essex, is judged as local – even if this means

identifying the voice with the wrong city

• Multicultural voices are more often placed in London,

even if this also results in placing the voice in the wrong

city

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