Abstract
Rural Appalachia is presented in popular culture as a region lacking in resources, morals, education, and more. Consequently, Appalachians who speak in the nonstandard language variety representative of the region are often subject to harmful stereotypes. This work examines the impact of negative stereotypes on dialectal Appalachian college students during their pursuit of higher education. This research was conducted via an anonymous survey investigating how students from specified rural Appalachian counties in Kentucky perceived their academic experiences regarding stereotypes, speaking a stigmatized Appalachian dialect, and how these influence others’ perceptions of them when attending any college or university. Hypotheses included the following in relation to dialectal Appalachian students: popular culture perpetuates Appalachian stereotypes and reinforces negative assumptions about Appalachians; academic challenges are common during students’ academic experiences; and including dialect as a recognized aspect of diversity in the classroom would contribute to a more accepting academic environment. Survey results yielded support for all three hypotheses. This study is significant in acknowledging the detriment of Appalachian stereotypes and in providing methods to improve the academic experiences of dialectal Appalachian college students.
Semester/Year of Award
Spring 2023
Mentor
Erin Presley
Mentor Department Affiliation
English
Access Options
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Honors Scholars
Degree Level
Bachelors
Department
English
IRB Approval Number (if applicable)
4967
Recommended Citation
Boggs, Jessica D., "Hollers, Hillbillies, and Higher Education: The Influence of Dialect and Negative Stereotypes on the Academic Experiences of Rural Appalachian College Students" (2023). Honors Theses. 972.
https://encompass.eku.edu/honors_theses/972
