Japanese attitudes toward English accents

ABSTRACT: In Japan, students seem to resort to American English when it comes to deciding the model for their English. This study focuses on the attitudes of Japanese university students toward varieties of spoken English. The study is based on the results of our previous research (Matsuura et al. 1994), which showed the preference for American English among Japanese students. The aim of this study is to examine the relation between the acceptance of varieties of English spoken by native and non‐native speakers and the attitudes toward people, culture, and English learning. The results obtained have demonstrated the following points: first, subjects with more instrumental motivation are more positive towards non‐native English accents than those with less instrumental motivation; second, the level of subjects’ respect for indigenous languages affects their attitudes toward non‐native English accents; and third, the subjects’ familiarity with accents has an influence on their acceptance of varieties of English.