Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Towards British English and American English
Herolinda Bylykbashi
DOI: 10.18355/XL.2025.18.04.18
Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to provide reliable data concerning attitudes towards speech, specifically focusing on two national varieties of English: American English (GA) and British English (RP). The study also aims to assess the students’ ability to identify British English (GA) and American English (RP), as well as to determine which national variety of English they use in everyday conversations and academic performance, with a particular focus on how these patterns may vary based on gender.
The research sample comprises twenty-four first-year students from the English Language and Literature Department (BA) at the University "Ukshin Hoti" in Prizren, Kosovo.
Regarding the research findings, 44% of the participants were able to recognize the difference between the two varieties of English, while 16% could not differentiate between them. Furthermore, the respondents showed a preference for British English over American English. However, 68% of respondents admitted to using American English in everyday conversations and academic performance, with only 16% claiming fluency in British English.
Moreover, 92% of female participants preferred British English over American English, whereas 75% of male participants favored American English. Nonetheless, 68% of all respondents acknowledged using American English in daily conversations and academic contexts, with only 16% considering themselves fluent in British English.
Key words: varieties, grammar, lexicology, pronunciation
Pages: 278-291
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