Communication Accommodation Theory

Communication Accommodation Theory

Communication accommodation theory, formerly known as Speech accommodation theory is a communication process of seeking approval, by meshing with another’s style of speaking (Griffin, 2009). It is a way when one or both party could speak in a way that is more similar to the other’s dialect (Delahunty & Garvey, 1994). Basically, communication accommodation theory takes place when, people from two different ethnic or cultural group interact with each other, and they tend to accommodate the way each other speak in order to gain the other’s approval, to avoid any awkwardness or rejection.

This is achieved through the change in vocabulary of their speech, speed, language choice, accent and etc. Howard Giles, a psychologist have analyzed that, the act of converging and diverging occurs between individuals in social interactions between one another with respect to their forms or styles of speech. When an individual converge, it is a strategy, which a person adapt their communication behavior toward another, in such a way as to become similar to the other person, by reducing linguistic differences between them by using communicative behavior and alternatively, divergence is a communication strategy whereby, a person accentuates the difference between him/her and another, by increasing the differences between their varieties (Delahunty & Garvey, 1994).

There are different motivations for converging and diverging in social interactions between one another. One of the main reason why people converge is because, they have the desire for approval from the other party and it is the way of social identification, where that person communicates not as individuals but as representatives of groups that defines them (Griffin, 2009), and because of the importance of having a social identity, some people diverge in social interaction because they feel that they need to have a social distinct in order for them to feel, acceptance and being comfortable.

Media Text

This is a scene in F.R.I.E.N.D.S where it was Ross's first day lecturing in a new university, and his speech started to converge into speaking in a British accent, because by this he believed that people would take him a lot more seriously, and that he would get a permanent. However, later on he diverged out of his British accent because, he was not getting any approval in his behaviour by his students, hence diverged out because of his 'social identity' of being British felt his students really uncomfortable.

Reference:

Delahunty, G., P., & Garvey, J., J. (1994) Language, Grammar, & Communication: A Course for Teachers of English. United States of America: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Griffin, E. (2009) A first look at communication theory. (7^th ed.). Glencoe, IL: McGraw-Hill.

Youtube (2012) Fake British Accent/Rachel finds out. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNLvK0saDVw