Attitudes of second-generation immigrant native English speakers vs. native English speakers towards foreign accents

This study examined the attitudes towards non-native speakers by second-generation immigrant native English speakers (SGINES) vs. native English speakers whose parents were both native English speakers (NES). Participants rated recordings of accented English (Thai, Albanian, Pakistani, and Italian) as well as Southeast British English on ‘approachability’, ‘friendliness’, ‘intelligibility’, and ‘attractiveness’. It was found that (a) SGINES rated more favourably foreign accented English than NES did and (b) the two groups shared implicit biases towards accents so that Italian was, overall, the most favourable accent, Albanian was the least favourable one, and Thai and Pakistani were in between