Taal- en Sprekersbeoordeling Binnen En Buiten De Eigen Groep

Social status of and solidarity between participants in interaction are important for the way in which they formulate speech acts. The use of a particular language variety functions as a cue for the assessment of status and solidarity in intergroup interaction between strangers: speakers of a language variety are evaluated on these dimensions because of their use of that variety. In our research we compared the evaluations of language varieties, made by speakers of those varieties and made by relevant outgroups. Discongruency in evaluations is likely to prevent a smooth interaction between participants. Agreement in .evaluation can be the basis for a mutual nonproblematic interpretation of the interaction. Perceived differences between speakers can explain the use of certain accommodation strategies and politeness strategies. Our research concentrated on two accent varieties in relation to standard Dutch (AN), an ethnic variety Moluccan Dutch (MN) , and a regional variety Groningen Dutch (GN). There appeared to be interesting differences in the evaluations between the two accent groups in the city of Groningen. The Moluccan group evaluated the Correctness of MN and the Social Status of the MN-speaker more positively than the others did. The speakers of the regional GN however agreed with the AN-speakers about the low evaluation of GN and its speaker on this dimension. Moreover it turned out that the Moluccan group (by comparison) gave preference to the Moluccan speaker on the dimension of Solidarity, but that the GN-group preferred the AN-speaker. This result was similar to the degree of identification with speaker and language: the MN-group mostly with the MN-speaker, the GN-group with the AN-speaker. It is argued that these differences are the result of differences in the perception of the social identity of the groups.