Sharma is a second-generation immigrant in an English-speaking country. The language of her parents and grandparents is spoken less and less where she lives. Kevin lives in the same city but belongs to the ethnolinguistic majority. In a conversation between the two, Sharma is likely to show:

A) her usual accented English.
B) upward convergence.
C) downward divergence.
D) her command of received pronunciation.

Question

hannah collins · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : B, Explanation :  Sharma is likely to show upward convergence in her conversation with Kevin. Upward convergence is a linguistic strategy where a speaker adjusts their speech to be more like that of a person or group with higher social status, or in this case, closer to the ethnolinguistic norm of the majority. This might be an effort to reduce social distance, seek approval, or fit in better with the dominant language culture.

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