A pronunciation norm in Quebec? Attitudes, representations, and perceptions
Type de matériel :
92
This article presents a perceptual study into norms of pronunciation in Quebec. The study challenges the traditional hypothesis relating to French norms of pronunciation, which postulates that, unlike other widely spoken languages, French has only one normative center (Paris). This issue is explored using the theoretical framework of perceptual linguistics of varieties and an empirical investigation into the perceptual representations and attitudes of one hundred and one speakers from Quebec and Montreal toward four stimuli representing model speakers from Quebec, French-speaking Switzerland, and Paris. The results suggest that currently, like a Parisian pronunciation, a lightly accented Quebecois pronunciation enjoys not only a covert prestige but also a standard prestige. Such results imply the necessity of redefining the concept of the reference norm, which is no longer monocentric, but rather multicentric.
Réseaux sociaux