Evaluations of Hawaii Creole English and Standard English

Abstract

The growing number of multicultural dialect and creole speakers entering the public school system underlines the importance of understanding perceptions pertaining to language standards and differences. Previous research has shown a consistent evaluative difference between nonstandard and standard linguistic forms. In this study, 197 university students were randomly assigned to rate an audio tape delivered in Hawaii Creole English or Standard English. Results were similar to previous studies in that the speaker’s language had a significant impact on the listeners’ ratings. Listeners rated Standard English higher on superiority traits and quality of speech. However, Hawaii Creole English was favored on dynamism traits. Furthermore, listeners’ own ethnicity and language ability influenced their ratings on quality, attractiveness, and dynamism. Findings have implications for educational programs designed to teach English and for the broad multicultural population.