The presentation focuses on standard varieties from the perspective of perceptual variationist linguistics. With regard to the/an Austrian standard variety, questions of its horizontal-national and vertical-social positioning have not yet been answered and further comprehensive empirical research is required, especially on the attitudinal-perceptual level. The research is embedded in the framework of an ongoing nationwide research project integrating different methodological approaches. Listener judgment tests from more than 400 listeners will provide the empirical basis of this presentation, targeting the central question of how to approach standard varieties from a perceptual perspective. This innovative approach contrasts various parameters such as different genres/types of texts (presented as stimuli) as well as professionally trained speakers (newscasters) with untrained ones from different German speaking countries. In total, eight different microvariations of a listener judgment test were tested, making use of different types of tests (matched & verbal guise), scales (Likert, semantic differential) and randomization. The presentation will provide answers to the following questions:
- Who perceives which standard or near-standard varieties of the varietal spectrum of German how, and which attitudinal-affective values are ascribed to them or to the speakers of these varieties?
- In which way(s) do the presented genres/types of text impact listener judgments, e.g. newscasters reading content different from news? Do these variations meet or foil subjects´ predispositions/expectations with regard to speakers and situations?
- Contrasting speakers of (Northern-)Germany with speakers of Austria (Vienna): To what extent are listeners´ evaluations affected by transnational variation? (cf. Auer 2014, Soukup/Moosmüller 2011)?
- How can perceptual results benefit from additional (open) questions about subjects´ language biography and language? Which considerations have to be taken into account with regard to the arrangement and positioning of such question types within (online) survey structure?
Auer, Peter (2014): Enregistering pluricentric German. In: Soares da Silva, Augusto (ed.): Pluricentricity. Language Variation and Sociocognitive Dimensions. Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter (Applications of Cognitive Linguistics 24), 19–48.
Soukup, Barbara / Moosmüller, Sylvia (2011): Standard Language in Austria. In: Coupland, Nikolas / Kristiansen, Tore (ed.): Standard Languages and Language Standards in a Changing Europe. Oslo: Novus Press (Standard language ideology in contemporary Europe 1), 39–46.
