ABSTRACT
Understanding diverse accents is key to spoken communication in a globalized world whether one is an inner-, outer-, or expanding-circle speaker. Accents are shaped by linguistic factors (monolingual versus bilingual, community of practice, i.e., groups where one uses language) and sociolinguistic background (age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, education, register). Additionally, accents can shift within one conversation, throughout daily interaction, and over an entire lifetime, representing a moving target. This chapter provides an overview of (1) the pronunciation of Englishes described by segments, suprasegmentals, phonotactics, and phonological processes in various contexts; (2) mechanisms behind the perception of the accents of second languages and non-native dialects as influenced by L1-specific factors, universal influences, and social biases; and (3) perceptual training consisting of raising awareness, explicit instruction, analysis, and comprehensive exposure to a variability of voices, contexts, and regional/social accents, considering intelligibility and comprehensibility. A sample lesson plan outlines activities such as analyzing both familiar and unfamiliar accents, discussing social aspects, and evaluating accents for accentedness, intelligibility, comprehensibility, and other characteristics. Additional activities, resources, including references to websites, and descriptions of segments (vowels, consonants) and pronunciation at the rhetorical level are offered on a companion online Support Material website.
