T‐tapping in Standard Southern British English: An ‘elite’ sociolinguistic variant?

Social class is one of the key axes sociolinguistic variation, but speech those at top spectrum—the elite—is rarely studied. While T-glottalling has spread widely across British English accents, a competing variant—T-tapping—has attracted little scholarly attention in United Kingdom. This article presents study elite by examining variation T-tapping among adolescent speakers Standard Southern English. Data were collected from interviews with teenagers aged 16–19 two schools Hampshire, UK. led who previously attended private school and used more boys than girls formal speech. The findings suggest that may be to index combination authority informality, which invoked assert themselves position privilege while maintaining an image openness approachability. Sociale klasse een van de belangrijkste factoren sociolinguïstische variatie, maar spraak degenen aan het klassenspectrum – wordt zelden onderzocht. Terwijl T-glottalisatie zich accenten Brits Engels wijdverspreid is, heeft concurrerende variant ‘T-tapping’ (het vervangen [t] door alveolaire tap) Verenigd Koninkrijk weinig wetenschappelijke aandacht gekregen. Dit artikel bespreekt sociolinguïstisch onderzoek naar bij adolescente sprekers Standaard Zuidelijk Engels. De gegevens zijn verzameld hand met jongeren 16 tot 19 jaar op twee scholen Hampshire Koninkrijk. meer gebruikt leerlingen die vóór hun huidige privéschool hebben gezeten, en formele registers ook jongens dan meisjes. bevindingen suggereren dat kan worden om combinatie autoriteit informaliteit te indexeren, waarop elitesprekers beroepen doen gelden vanuit bevoorrechte positie, terwijl zij imago openheid aanspreekbaarheid kunnen behouden. One most robust variationist sociolinguistics language use stratified according socio-economic class, particularly between ostensibly working-class middle-class community (e.g., Labov, 2001). However, group often absent such research hierarchy, referred here as elite. Britain (2017) claims theorising elites inadequate does not reflect nature social stratification contemporary western (especially British) society. He argues field ought take seriously dropping some its old-fashioned assumptions building on recent work sociology. In this article, I respond call presenting analysis adolescents county Hampshire. refers alveolar tap [ɾ] realisation /t/. feature considerable existing accents English, studies (SSBE), taps are produced avoid negative or connotations their much-studied competitor, glottal stop [ʔ] Badia Barrera, 2015). under investigation matches description sociology, it prosperous part South East England, contains large clusters high economic, cultural capital (Savage et al., quantitative qualitative analyses how varies groups can deployed interaction. hence offers insight into linguistic meaning operate fits picture variants /t/ After several decades limited topic, sociologists have taken renewed interest elites, especially Kingdom (Savage, traditional aristocratic upper-class landed gentry. Savage al. (2015) argue outdated hierarchy UK today ‘ordinary elite’ high-earning senior managers professionals. Forming around 6% population, belonging concentrated London England typically graduated select prestigious universities Contrary common stereotypes isolated, insular upper exclusively high-brow practices attending opera, today's diverse networks engaged wide variety activities. What distinguishes them rest population much greater capital, enabling negotiate 21st-century society privilege. Crucially, find able justify economic advantage emphasising effort sacrifices made acquire and/or maintain it, thus framing meritocratic achievement. Elite meanwhile, manifested being highly confident legitimacy one's interests opinions, positioning oneself discerning arbiter ‘good taste’, together tendency enjoy culture detachment, critique irony rather primarily experiential escapist level. These relevant because discipline, too, tended neglect end spectrum. Elites argued resist phonetically motivated sound changes order different community, any they do lead imported non-local (Baranowski, 2017; Kroch, 1978). fairly specifically been conducted within Exceptions include Fabricius’ (2000) Barrera's Received Pronunciation (RP) schools, alongside Holmes-Elliott Levon's reality television programme Made Chelsea. As result, ‘gentry aesthetic’ gradually consigned history sociology still persists dialectology. There need for elites’ so our understanding reflects characteristics all strata therein. replacement voiceless voiced [ɾ], flap [ɽ] [d].1 well-studied American Jong, 2011; Warner & Tucker, 2011), Australian Tollfree, 2001) New Zealand Hay Foulkes, 2016; Holmes, 1994), relatively dedicated Instead, focus heavily (T-glottalling; review, see Smith Holmes-Elliott, 2018), originated Glasgow (Macaulay, 1977), (Wells, 1982) Anglia (Trudgill, 1999) since beyond (Eddington Channer, 2010; 1995). disparaged parts press association urban speakers, yet stigma seems disappearing upper-middle-class (Badia 2015; Fabricius, 2000) point now stylistically RP solidarity (Kirkham Moore, 2016). well-documented tapped largely ignored despite presence dialects West 1982), Essex (Amos, 2007), Northern (Broadbent, 2008), Cardiff (Coupland, 1980) Ireland 1982). Some reported East, including Cockney Sivertsen, 1960; Wells, Wells (1982) result influence phonological distribution these varieties puts competition T-glottalling, raises question whether features make meanings. Sivertsen (1960, p. 119) reports regarded ‘the normal, “correct” variant’, contrast stops, ‘too rough’, posh’. same associations echoed 55 years later opposite spectrum young whom act neutral option vis-à-vis other variants. T-tapping's acceptability versus reinforced Hannisdal (2006), finds frequent broadcast RP-accented TV newsreaders typical accent descriptions, men, stops absent. indicate simply ‘neutral’, favoured certain situations require both broadcasting. supported evidence many pop vocalists ‘American’ style when singing, includes (Morrissey, 2008; Trudgill, 1983). popular culture, self-satisfied middle-aged male SSBE-speaking disc jockeys comedies Harry Enfield's Television Programme I'm Alan Partridge highlighted comic effect. Not examples originate naturally occurring spoken data, together, kind trans-Atlantic sophistication male) SSBE construct desired personae. How vary speakers? interaction backgrounds? answer first Section 4, SSBE. second addressed recorded interview 5. final section summarises suggestions future research. Speech data wider project (described Alderton, 2019) investigating production perception people proportion professional managerial occupations higher national average, districts show significant concentrations ‘elite’ (2015, 280). Forty-five took study. Twenty-six sixth-form college (state school) day neighbouring town. majority had least parent occupation. parents consented former's participation. Speakers small four experimenter, using Zoom H1 H4N digital recorders Audio Technica lavalier microphones 16-bit 44.1 kHz encoding. They completed tasks: (1) reading short story Boy Who Cried Wolf (Deterding, 2006), phonemes environments; (2) discussing life impressions auditory stimuli experiment (not investigated article). Tokens environments pre-pausal /t/) coded included analysis, was very contexts. appeared imitated ‘unreleased’ ‘other’ also excluded, leaving 3121 tokens /t/.3 statistical generalised linear mixed-effects models lme4 package R (Bates Core Team, 2017). combined form ‘non-tap’ category taps, facilitate binary logistic regression. categories complex intersectional, every individual represented particular factor model (like gender class) will share experience others category. necessary assume similarities generalisations them. speaker word random intercepts previous slopes word. Other tested either poorer fit convergence errors. contained gender, age, current attended, type private), class,4 home settlement (town village), discussion size task factors. factors environment, (content function), frequency number syllables. Interactions variables where possible. Fixed effects removed backwards selection if inclusion did improve anova() function R. All full model. Table 2 shows output regression A positive β intercept indicates likelihood production. Figure 1 illustrates (β = 1.436, p 0.014). Boys likely tasks, difference bigger conversation task. words, boys’ stays stable contexts, less produce artefact low token counts task, desirable styles female echoing (2006) jockey characters discussed 3. participants significantly state 1.565, 0.003). clear participants’ school. Taps school, whereas seven out 28 never tap. fact would imply categorically associated status. results complement Alderton (2019), state-school speakers. analyse Bucholtz Hall's (2004) ‘tactics intersubjectivity’ framework, employs opposing pairs identity-framing devices ‘distinction’ (marking someone different) ‘adequation’ same) interpret evaluate others. presented aim illustrate potential meaning-making ‘representative’ speakers’ ‘normal’ 2007). Fred, 16-year-old boy attends His university-educated employed occupations, average house price his postcode about twice area. Extract substantial T-glottalling. Relevant bold underlined. Equivalent friend Hugh, similar background, shown 1, Fred Hugh tactics intersubjectivity (italicised below) judging stimulus voice experiment, reference nearby town Newtown satellite village Birch. Both employ overt labels related purposes highlighting distinction: ‘home lot of, sort middle-class, higher-middle-class’ people, ‘millionaires’, ‘stupid’ ‘peasanty’ live there. offensive neologism serves illegitimate intended exaggerated, ironic manner. concedes ground ‘free’ (i.e., state-sector) town, implicitly making distinction representative Fred's overall approach discussion, himself local expert, deftly describing types lived towns passing judgement he always humorous manner reflected close friendship self-awareness participant stance channels reflecting meanings addition, attitude outlined above expressed elite, allows define boundaries taste’ 2015) deflecting accusations snobbery appeal irony. case keen qualify comments assurances commitment equality rejection snobbery. terms specific there lexical effect conditioning T-tapping, appear set words of) got a, get a). frequently 2000), elsewhere explicitly points sounding ‘chavvy’5 ‘uneducated’. helps motivate necessarily ‘neutral’ option, rare contexts (see 1). Rather, seem informal authority, useful (male) wishing opinions approachable non-snobbish persona. addresses extent conceived via patterns informality derive subsequently indexical stances issues 2015), why tapping former pupils partly supports suggesting 1960). preponderance reaction against alternative above. Further develop particular, perceptual undertaken offer new angle investigation. It therefore hoped inspires dispenses (Britain, 2017) focuses modern build clearer levels am grateful Sam Kirkham, Claire Nance Emma Moore valuable feedback versions Hielke Vriesendorp proofreading Dutch abstract. thankful Faculty Arts Sciences Lancaster University award postgraduate scholarship enabled conducted. Transcription conventions (.) pause (< s) s [Square brackets] overlapping ? statement rising intonation (Round brackets) miscellaneous sounds laughter transcriber's notes Bold underlined [phonetic symbol] containing phonetic Italics emphasis