Creencias y actitudes lingüísticas de estudiantes universitarios de español en el Reino Unido hacia las variedades dialectales del español europeo: el caso del ceceo, del seseo y de la distinción entre /s/ y /θ/

Abstract

This research project arises from the need to surface and understand attitudinal factors in teaching and learning Spanish as a foreign language. Its main aim is to analyse the language beliefs held by present-day university students in the United Kingdom towards European dialectal varieties of Spanish and the phonetic variation phenomena of ceceo, seseo and distinción of /s/ and /θ/ sounds. Focussing on affective and cognitive criteria, social status, and personal characteristics, this study has adapted the methodology primarily developed in the Project for the study of beliefs and attitudes towards the varieties of Spanish in the XXI century (PRECAVES-XXI) (2013). The results that I present build upon PRECAVES-XXI to reveal problematic language ideologies and discriminatory attitudes towards some European varieties and certain associated linguistic phenomena. Finally, I conclude with a reflection on the impact that this research project may have on the teaching and learning of Spanish, both within the context of UK Higher Education and internationally.