Mixed methods in the mapping of accent perceptions in Indian varieties of English

Abstract

This paper discusses the benefits of a mixed-methods approach designed for the investigation of language attitudes towards accent variation in Indian English. The study was carried out in a transient community of Indian university students in Heidelberg, Germany in 2018. Methods from language attitude research were combined with those from perceptual dialectology with the aim of eliciting both overt and covert attitudes. The paper critically assesses the current methods used in language attitude research in New Englishes, which often neglect the mapping of perceptual landscapes and mostly rely on Verbal Guise Tests and direct questions. The results show that a mixed-methods approach helps to depict the perceptual heterogeneity of language users in New Englishes contexts.