ACCENT BULLYING IN PAKISTANI CLASSROOMS: EXPLORING ITS LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE RETENTION AND SPEAKING CONFIDENCE

Abstract

Accent bullying is one of a form of linguistic discrimination faced by the students of postcolonial regions like Pakistan, where English is considered a symbol of social prestige. This paper explores how accent bullying leads to anxiety and language avoidance among English learners. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, this research surveyed 114 students from various institutions in Pakistan using a structured questionnaire, and the responses were analyzed with SPSS.  The results revealed that peer ridicule was a stronger predictor of language avoidance than teacher correction in reducing language anxiety. Overall, the results correspond to Bourdieu's (1991) account of symbolic violence, whereas accent bias creates hierarchies of English's legitimacy. The present study enlightens the way to accent inclusive pedagogies that contribute to the establishment of supportive English as a Foreign Language learning spaces in Pakistan. This research contributes to a global  work to tackle linguistic discrimination.