Overt and Covert Prestige

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'Overt prestige' and 'covert prestige' are terms usually used to refer to dialects. An overt prestige dialect is generally one that is widely recognized as being used by a culturally dominant group. In England, this would be RP. In the US, the Midwestern standard. A covert prestige dialect, on the other hand, is one that is generally perceived by the dominant culture group as being inferior but which compels its speakers to use it to show membership in an exclusive community. In this way, covert prestige can be likened to 'street cred': If you talk street, you may not be accepted by the power majority, but you earn respect among those who reject the values of that power majority. Prestige can be separated into ‘overt prestige’ and ‘covert prestige’. Both are used when changing speech to gain prestige – appearing to have a high reputation/standing/success etc- but do so in different ways. If someone uses ‘overt prestige’ they put on an accent that is generally widely recognized as being used but the ‘culturally dominant group’. In England this would be R.P, so putting on a more ‘posh’ accent than their regional one would be using overt prestige, to fit with the ‘dominant group’. This is the traditional definition, although with the rise of other accents such as Estuary English it may be questioned. ‘Covert prestige’ is the opposite, as ‘covert’ means secret. Therefore it means to put on an accent to show membership to an ‘exclusive community’ in the area, rather than to fit with the ‘dominant culture group’. Using covert prestige would therefore be putting on a more ‘street cred’ accent rather than R.P, and even though the ‘dominant culture group’ generally sees it as being inferior, using language fitting with the local community would lead to earning respect with those also in the

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