U. S. Dialects

11

U. S. DialectsU. S. Dialects

22

The United StatesThe United States

Mississippi R.

Appalachians

Rockies

Connecticut R.

Hudson R.

Erie Canal

33

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

EasternNewEngland

44

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

Upper North /Great Lakes

55

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

Mountain South /Upper South

66

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

Lower North /Midlands

77

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

Deep South /Lower South

88

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

GeneralAmerican /Western

99

What about Texas?What about Texas?

1010

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

New Orleans

Acadians

• Acadian• Acadyan• Acadjyan• Cadjan• Cajun

1111

Dialect Regions of the U.S.Dialect Regions of the U.S.

NewYorkCity

1212

Detailed Dialect MapDetailed Dialect Map

1313

Major Dialect AttributesMajor Dialect Attributes

Deletion of Post-Vocalic [r] (“r-lessness”)Deletion of Post-Vocalic [r] (“r-lessness”)• carcar “kaa”“kaa”• parkpark “paak”“paak”

Monophthongization of [ay]Monophthongization of [ay]• mymy “maa”“maa”• drivedrive “draav”“draav”

Fronting of [a]Fronting of [a]• ChicagoChicago “Chicaago”“Chicaago”

Diphthongization of [æ]Diphthongization of [æ]• bagbag “byæg”“byæg”• plasticplastic “plyæstic”“plyæstic”

1414

Who Says What?Who Says What?

r-less?r-less? ay ay aa aa fronted afronted a ae ae yae yae

New New EnglandEngland yesyes nono nono ??

Deep Deep SouthSouth yesyes yesyes nono nono

Great Great LakesLakes nono nono yesyes yesyes

Mountain Mountain SouthSouth nono yesyes nono nono

Midlands/Midlands/General General AmericanAmerican

nono nono nono nono