This "matched-guise" study provides data regarding attitudes toward (Mandar
in) Chinese speakers by eliciting non-Asian Americans' reactions to Chinese
speaker using 2 varieties of English (standard American and Mandarin Chine
se-accented) and introduced in the context of an employment interview with
either an Anglo-American or ethnic Chinese name. Results indicate that spea
kers in all conditions were rated equally suitable for 3 types of employmen
t. Despite the fact that language attitudes research has consistently demon
strated that individuals with nonstandard accents are judged to be less sui
table for high-status jobs and more suitable for low-status jobs, the prese
nt results contradict this generalization.