Perceptual Dialectology: Northerners and Southerners’ View of Different American Dialects

Abstract

American English, also known as US English, is a set of dialects in the English language mostly used in the United States. It has considerable variations in terminology, phrasing and syntax. The differences are mostly on regional basis. The three major regional dialects are: Northern, Midland, and Southern. Generally, dialect varieties are acceptable in society; however, some of them are more stigmatized than others. The present study has been done to examine American English speakers’ perceptions towards regional American varieties in terms of correctness, pleasantness, and difference from their own speech

Keywords

• Perceptual dialectology; dialects; American English