Space Rednecks, Robot Butlers, and Feline Foreigners: Language Attitudes Toward Varieties of English in Videogames

Abstract

Speakers hold evaluative attitudes toward different varieties of language (e.g., toward accents, dialects, or sociolects). Individual linguistic markers, like a particular sound, can point to a whole range of perceived socio-cultural attributes, such as intelligence, education, likeability, or trustworthiness. This has potential implications for linguistic character design in the media, including games. This paper examines how game designers instrumentalize varieties of English by making use of social-indexical variation. An empirical study of 10 characters and groups of characters from five AAA games is presented that combines three different methods—a stylistic reading, an analysis of online discourse, and a player survey. It is demonstrated how developers capitalize on ideologies and stereotypes surrounding linguistic varieties for characterization and worldbuilding purposes. The analysis lays an empirical and methodological foundation for future sociolinguistically informed readings of videogames.