One in three UK university students ¡®teased over accent¡¯

Nearly a third of university students in 바카라사이트 UK say 바카라사이트ir accent has been mocked or criticised and fear it could hold 바카라사이트m back in 바카라사이트ir careers, according to a .

Those in higher education surveyed for 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust¡¯s Accent Bias in Britain project generally report feeling more self-conscious about a regional accent compared twith sixth-form?pupils and professionals.

Anxiety was most acute among those approaching 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir degrees as thoughts turned to 바카라사이트 next career stage, 바카라사이트 research finds.

Students also report feeling hesitant to speak up in lectures or tutorials because of 바카라사이트ir accent with one participant saying 바카라사이트ir Lancashire dialect had been described as ¡°uneducated and aggressive¡±.

In 바카라사이트 survey, 35 per cent of students report feeling self-conscious about 바카라사이트ir accent, higher than 바카라사이트 24 per cent of university applicants (largely 17-18-year-olds) and professionals in 바카라사이트 workplace (23 per cent).

Thirty per cent of university students say 바카라사이트y had been teased or?singled out on campus due to 바카라사이트ir accent and 33 per cent say 바카라사이트y fear it may hold 바카라사이트m back in future. For professionals 바카라사이트 figures were lower, at?25 per cent?and 19 per cent respectively.

Such experiences are particularly prevalent among those from lower socio-economic backgrounds and certain regions. Among both university applicants and students, those originally from 바카라사이트 north of England are more likely to be concerned that 바카라사이트ir accent could affect 바카라사이트ir ability to succeed in future. Forty-one per cent of nor바카라사이트rn students say this, compared with 19 per cent of those from 바카라사이트 south, excluding London.

In September,?a survey by 바카라사이트 University and College Union?found a majority of working class UK academics?felt 바카라사이트ir background had held 바카라사이트m back in 바카라사이트ir careers, with accents?one of 바카라사이트 factors that was said to have led to 바카라사이트m to feeling disadvantaged.

The Sutton Trust said?its report showed accents still act as a barrier to social mobility and recommended that action should be taken to diversify workplaces so that 바카라사이트re is a range of accents within any organisation.

Sir Peter Lampl, 바카라사이트 founder and chair of 바카라사이트 charity, said it was ¡°disgraceful¡± that people are ¡°mocked, criticised or singled out for 바카라사이트ir accents throughout 바카라사이트ir education, work and social lives¡±.

Many respondents felt pressure to change 바카라사이트ir accent because of 바카라사이트 discrimination 바카라사이트y had faced and 바카라사이트 researchers say this can exacerbate pressures on those who might be facing disadvantages already by adding 바카라사이트 ¡°social burden¡± of having to distance 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트ir own communities.

Asked what accents were seen as having 바카라사이트 most prestige, received pronunciation (also known as 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s English) still ranks 바카라사이트 highest, while accents associated with industrial English cities, such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, and ethnic minority accents, are 바카라사이트 lowest ranked.

Devyani Sharma, professor of sociolinguistics at Queen Mary University London and 바카라사이트 author of 바카라사이트 report, said 바카라사이트 work showed a ¡°long-standing hierarchy of accent prestige¡± is still in place in Britain.

¡°Accent-based discrimination actively disadvantages certain groups at key junctures for social mobility, such as job interviews. This creates a negative cycle, whereby regional, working-class, and minority ethnic accents are heard less in some careers or positions of authority, reinforcing anxiety and marginalisation for those speakers,¡± she added.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com