Date of Award
4-1995
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Dr. Douglas Davidson
Second Advisor
Dr. Sue Crull
Third Advisor
Dr. Thomas Van Valey
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Lewis Walker
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
This research was used to measure the attitudes of students toward African American English at a predominantly European American University. It was hypothesized that significant differences would be found between the responses of the African American and European American students. Using a random telephone survey of the population, three (Language Legitimacy, Language Acceptance, and Cultural Value) of the four hypotheses were found to be significant. The fourth hypothesis (Employment Inhibition) was rejected indicating that both groups felt language was used as an employment stratification device. The data showed that although there were significant differences in the attitudes by race over 80% of the students had a somewhat positive attitude toward African American English.
Recommended Citation
Dozier, William H., "Race and Language on a College Campus" (1995). Masters Theses. 4218.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4218