A Perceptual Study of Bristol English

Katiuska M Ferrer Portillo

Abstract

This case study approaches, from a quantitative perspective, perceptual dialectological analysis of Bristol English, a variety lacking in diatopic production and perception studies (Coates, 2017; Montgomery, 2007; Wakelin, 1986), and perceived as significantly dissimilar from north to south Bristol by its speakers (Purvis, 2016; Ashcroft, 2016; Hardingham, 2013). Therefore, acoustic analysis with PRAAT software, alongside conventional methods for Perceptual Dialectology (PD), namely, the draw-a-map task (Preston, 1982) and the ‘ranking and voice placement’ method (Preston, 1999a), are used to obtain evidence for viability of different Bristol English categories. Although an exhaustive progression of the aforementioned three-way methodology cannot be unfolded in a 20-minute talk, in this presentation, evidence is presented of how using GIS (Geographical Information System) software to analyse the information from ‘draw-a-map’ tasks (Preston, 1982), helped to aggregate, process and display PD data in a graphic and well-defined way (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013). Thus, this paper discusses the use of five GIS tools to analyse results of the draw-a-map sub-study (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013): The Georeferencing tool, used to assign geographical coordinates to 109 hand-drawn maps, containing informants’ depiction of the dialect areas they believe exist in Bristol (draw-a-map task); the Editor tool, which allowed digitization and aggregation to one single GIS file of the 415 dialect areas contained in the aforementioned maps; the Union and Frequency tools, which show the overlapping rate of the perceptual dialect areas and their scope; and the Conversion Tool which enabled a nuanced, multi-coloured and smooth depiction of both the superimposed and non-convergent areas. The results show that the use of these tools for the draw-a-map task analysis, facilitated the elaboration of a composite map, confirming a north-south perceptual division of Bristol English, although, subdivided into four sub-areas (northwest, central-north, and two central south).

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 2019
Event	4th Conference on Experimental Approaches to Perception and Production of Language Variation - University of Munster, Munster, Germany Duration: 26 Sep 2019 → 28 Sep 2019 Conference number: 4 https://www.uni-muenster.de/INP/internationales/exapp2019.html

Conference

Conference	4th Conference on Experimental Approaches to Perception and Production of Language Variation
Abbreviated title	ExAPP 2019
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Munster
Period	26/09/19 → 28/09/19
Internet address	https://www.uni-muenster.de/INP/internationales/exapp2019.html

Bibliographical note

Academic References:

Coates, R. (2018). Steps towards characterizing Bristolian. In Laura Wright, ed., Southern English varieties then and now [provisional title]. Berlin: de Gruyter Mouton. 188-226.

Montgomery, C. (2007). Northern English dialects: A perceptual approach. (PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, Sheffield). 352-3.

Montgomery, C. & Stoeckle, P. (2013). Geographic Information Systems and Perceptual Dialectology: A Method for processing draw-a-map data. Journal of Linguistics Geography 1 (01). 52-85.

Wakelin, M. (1986). The southwest of England. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 197-203.

Preston, D. R. (1982). Perceptual dialectology: Mental maps of United States dialects from a Hawaiian perspective. Hawaii Working Papers in Linguistics 14: 5-49.

Preston, D. R. (ed.) (1999a). Handbook of perceptual dialectology. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. xxxiv.

Newspaper articles:

Ashcroft, E. (January 23, 2016) Is Bristol losing its regional accent? The Bristol Post. Retrieved from http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/8203-bristol-losing-regional-accents/story-28590783detail/story.html

Hardingham, B. (July 30, 2013) Immerse yourselves in some more city dialect. The Bristol Post. Retrieved from http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/immerse-city-dialect/story-19585623 detail/story.html

Radio and TV programs:
Purvis, R. (Producer). (January 22, 2016). Claire Cavanagh [Radio series]. Bristol: BBC.

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Persistent link

Cite this

@conference{1fa1d5ed97a747c08aaf64588bae00ec,

title = "A Perceptual Study of Bristol English",

abstract = "This case study approaches, from a quantitative perspective, perceptual dialectological analysis of Bristol English, a variety lacking in diatopic production and perception studies (Coates, 2017; Montgomery, 2007; Wakelin, 1986), and perceived as significantly dissimilar from north to south Bristol by its speakers (Purvis, 2016; Ashcroft, 2016; Hardingham, 2013). Therefore, acoustic analysis with PRAAT software, alongside conventional methods for Perceptual Dialectology (PD), namely, the draw-a-map task (Preston, 1982) and the {\textquoteleft}ranking and voice placement{\textquoteright} method (Preston, 1999a), are used to obtain evidence for viability of different Bristol English categories. Although an exhaustive progression of the aforementioned three-way methodology cannot be unfolded in a 20-minute talk, in this presentation, evidence is presented of how using GIS (Geographical Information System) software to analyse the information from {\textquoteleft}draw-a-map{\textquoteright} tasks (Preston, 1982), helped to aggregate, process and display PD data in a graphic and well-defined way (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013). Thus, this paper discusses the use of five GIS tools to analyse results of the draw-a-map sub-study (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013): The Georeferencing tool, used to assign geographical coordinates to 109 hand-drawn maps, containing informants{\textquoteright} depiction of the dialect areas they believe exist in Bristol (draw-a-map task); the Editor tool, which allowed digitization and aggregation to one single GIS file of the 415 dialect areas contained in the aforementioned maps; the Union and Frequency tools, which show the overlapping rate of the perceptual dialect areas and their scope; and the Conversion Tool which enabled a nuanced, multi-coloured and smooth depiction of both the superimposed and non-convergent areas. The results show that the use of these tools for the draw-a-map task analysis, facilitated the elaboration of a composite map, confirming a north-south perceptual division of Bristol English, although, subdivided into four sub-areas (northwest, central-north, and two central south). ",

author = "{Ferrer Portillo}, {Katiuska M}",

note = "Academic References: Coates, R. (2018). Steps towards characterizing Bristolian. In Laura Wright, ed., Southern English varieties then and now [provisional title]. Berlin: de Gruyter Mouton. 188-226. Montgomery, C. (2007). Northern English dialects: A perceptual approach. (PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, Sheffield). 352-3. Montgomery, C. & Stoeckle, P. (2013). Geographic Information Systems and Perceptual Dialectology: A Method for processing draw-a-map data. Journal of Linguistics Geography 1 (01). 52-85. Wakelin, M. (1986). The southwest of England. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 197-203. Preston, D. R. (1982). Perceptual dialectology: Mental maps of United States dialects from a Hawaiian perspective. Hawaii Working Papers in Linguistics 14: 5-49. Preston, D. R. (ed.) (1999a). Handbook of perceptual dialectology. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. xxxiv. Newspaper articles: Ashcroft, E. (January 23, 2016) Is Bristol losing its regional accent? The Bristol Post. Retrieved from http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/8203-bristol-losing-regional-accents/story-28590783detail/story.html Hardingham, B. (July 30, 2013) Immerse yourselves in some more city dialect. The Bristol Post. Retrieved from http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/immerse-city-dialect/story-19585623 detail/story.html Radio and TV programs: Purvis, R. (Producer). (January 22, 2016). Claire Cavanagh [Radio series]. Bristol: BBC. ; 4th Conference on Experimental Approaches to Perception and Production of Language Variation, ExAPP 2019 ; Conference date: 26-09-2019 Through 28-09-2019",

year = "2019",

language = "English",

url = "https://www.uni-muenster.de/INP/internationales/exapp2019.html",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - A Perceptual Study of Bristol English

AU - Ferrer Portillo, Katiuska M

N1 - Conference code: 4

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - This case study approaches, from a quantitative perspective, perceptual dialectological analysis of Bristol English, a variety lacking in diatopic production and perception studies (Coates, 2017; Montgomery, 2007; Wakelin, 1986), and perceived as significantly dissimilar from north to south Bristol by its speakers (Purvis, 2016; Ashcroft, 2016; Hardingham, 2013). Therefore, acoustic analysis with PRAAT software, alongside conventional methods for Perceptual Dialectology (PD), namely, the draw-a-map task (Preston, 1982) and the ‘ranking and voice placement’ method (Preston, 1999a), are used to obtain evidence for viability of different Bristol English categories. Although an exhaustive progression of the aforementioned three-way methodology cannot be unfolded in a 20-minute talk, in this presentation, evidence is presented of how using GIS (Geographical Information System) software to analyse the information from ‘draw-a-map’ tasks (Preston, 1982), helped to aggregate, process and display PD data in a graphic and well-defined way (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013). Thus, this paper discusses the use of five GIS tools to analyse results of the draw-a-map sub-study (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013): The Georeferencing tool, used to assign geographical coordinates to 109 hand-drawn maps, containing informants’ depiction of the dialect areas they believe exist in Bristol (draw-a-map task); the Editor tool, which allowed digitization and aggregation to one single GIS file of the 415 dialect areas contained in the aforementioned maps; the Union and Frequency tools, which show the overlapping rate of the perceptual dialect areas and their scope; and the Conversion Tool which enabled a nuanced, multi-coloured and smooth depiction of both the superimposed and non-convergent areas. The results show that the use of these tools for the draw-a-map task analysis, facilitated the elaboration of a composite map, confirming a north-south perceptual division of Bristol English, although, subdivided into four sub-areas (northwest, central-north, and two central south).

AB - This case study approaches, from a quantitative perspective, perceptual dialectological analysis of Bristol English, a variety lacking in diatopic production and perception studies (Coates, 2017; Montgomery, 2007; Wakelin, 1986), and perceived as significantly dissimilar from north to south Bristol by its speakers (Purvis, 2016; Ashcroft, 2016; Hardingham, 2013). Therefore, acoustic analysis with PRAAT software, alongside conventional methods for Perceptual Dialectology (PD), namely, the draw-a-map task (Preston, 1982) and the ‘ranking and voice placement’ method (Preston, 1999a), are used to obtain evidence for viability of different Bristol English categories. Although an exhaustive progression of the aforementioned three-way methodology cannot be unfolded in a 20-minute talk, in this presentation, evidence is presented of how using GIS (Geographical Information System) software to analyse the information from ‘draw-a-map’ tasks (Preston, 1982), helped to aggregate, process and display PD data in a graphic and well-defined way (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013). Thus, this paper discusses the use of five GIS tools to analyse results of the draw-a-map sub-study (Montgomery & Stoeckle, 2013): The Georeferencing tool, used to assign geographical coordinates to 109 hand-drawn maps, containing informants’ depiction of the dialect areas they believe exist in Bristol (draw-a-map task); the Editor tool, which allowed digitization and aggregation to one single GIS file of the 415 dialect areas contained in the aforementioned maps; the Union and Frequency tools, which show the overlapping rate of the perceptual dialect areas and their scope; and the Conversion Tool which enabled a nuanced, multi-coloured and smooth depiction of both the superimposed and non-convergent areas. The results show that the use of these tools for the draw-a-map task analysis, facilitated the elaboration of a composite map, confirming a north-south perceptual division of Bristol English, although, subdivided into four sub-areas (northwest, central-north, and two central south).

M3 - Conference Abstract

T2 - 4th Conference on Experimental Approaches to Perception and Production of Language Variation

Y2 - 26 September 2019 through 28 September 2019