Language Attitudes Toward English Accents among Thai Youth

Abstract

This study investigates language attitudes toward English accents among Thai youth,
examining preferences, perceived prestige, familiarity, and the influence of demographic
factors and media exposure. A total of 200 participants aged 15–24, from secondary schools
and universities in Thailand, completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring attitudes
toward American, British, Thai English, and other non-native accents using a 5-point Likert
scale. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation analyses were employed to
analyze the data. The results indicate that American and British accents are the most preferred
and perceived as highly prestigious, while Thai English and other non-native accents received
moderate positive evaluations. Age, educational level, urban exposure, and media consumption
significantly influenced accent attitudes, with greater exposure correlating with stronger
preference for Inner Circle accents. These findings highlight the impact of sociocultural factors,
media influence, and native-speaker ideology on language perceptions. Implications for EFL
teaching in Thailand include incorporating diverse English accents in instructional materials to
foster acceptance of global English varieties and enhance learners’ listening comprehension,
speaking confidence, and communicative competence.