Nice to have you here on the Aussie English podcast's first interview of the year 2022!This must be a very interesting topic for you, guys!Meet Dr. Shiri Lev-Avi of Royal Holloway at the University of London. In today's episode, we talk about her recent research that examines why speakers of a native language discriminate against foreign accents. I mean, I get it that you feel you face discrimination for not being able to speak English fluently, and now look at how people who speak your native language - how do you perceive people who try to speak your native language? Would you trust a good lawyer right away who does not speak the same way you do?Dr. Shiri Lev-Ari's research then says that individuals who speak foreign languages are believed to be more trustworthy.Join us today in this very insightful episode as we talk about how your social circle (your friends, family, work colleagues, neighbourhood people, etc) greatly affects how you learn to speak and use a language.Is there anything you want to ask me? Drop in your questions here: https://aussieenglish.com.au/askpete** Want to wear the kookaburra shirt? **Get yours here at https://aussieenglish.com.au/shirtImprove your listening skills today – listen, play, & pause this episode – and start speaking like a native English speaker!