Goa'j met brommers kiek'n?

Abstract

Purpose: Two studies were conducted to determine which factors and motives influence whether a dialect is spoken, particularly for adolescents in the province of Overijssel. Methods: Study 1 consists of a secondary data analysis of Van der Boom’s (2018) work. In her study, 355 participants (13-19 years, M=15.4) completed a survey about attitude towards dialect and demographic data (i.e. gender, education level and residence). A multiple regression analysis was used to test whether gender, educational level, residence and attitude, i.e. positive attitude and familiar attitude are related to speaking a dialect. Study 2 used six focus group discussions to determine new motives influence whether a dialect is spoken. In total, 74 participants (13–18 years, M=15.5) participated in Study 2. Results: Study 1 shows that participants with lower education levels, who live in small towns and with higher familiar attitudes towards dialects have a greater chance of speaking a dialect. Furthermore, an interaction shows that the relationship between education and speaking a dialect has a stronger effect among male adolescent than among female adolescents. Study 2 shows that the importance of being intelligible, speaking Standard Dutch in formal situations and negative attitudes towards dialects were motives for participants to not speak a dialect. Speaking in informal situations with parents and friends was a motive for participants to speak a dialect. Conclusion: Education level, residence and familiar attitude are related to speaking a dialect. Furthermore, the relationship between education and speaking a dialect has a stronger effect among male adolescents than among female adolescents. Important motives for adolescents to not speak a dialect are the need to be intelligible, formal situations and negative attitudes. Speaking a dialect in informal situations is a motive for adolescents to speak a dialect