I chose to take a closer look at the different dialect regions within the United States of America because during the last semester at university I had been trying to adopt the American English accent into my own speech, and I wanted to learn where all the things the teachers had told l me to do had their origins. At first I wanted to deal with each and every of the ten dialect regions within the US, looking at all the phonemes which in some way characterized them. After I had done some research I learned that this way I would have had to spend a year on that paper, instead of the planned two months. So I decided to concentrate only on three Northern American dialect regions: Eastern New England, the South and the Central Midland. After writing the first part of my paper, including the study on the dialect spoken in the South, I found out that my topic was still too big. That was why I made the final decision to leave out the vowels in my study and to concentrate mainly on consonants, with the exception of the r-coloring. This turned out to be a research field easily big enough for my first paper of that kind.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. The sounds of American English
- 2.1. Consonant phonemes
- 2.2. Vowel phonemes
- 3. American English dialect regions
- 4. The South
- 4.1. The origins of Southern American English
- 4.2. Characteristics of the regional variety of the South
- 4.2.1. The retroflex /r/
- 4.2.2. The r-coloring
- 4.2.3. Voiced fricative /z/ versus unvoiced fricative /s/
- 4.2.4. Light // versus dark/+/
- 4.2.5. The approximant /j/
- 5. Eastern New England
- 5.1 The origins of the variety spoken in Eastern New England
- 5.2. Characteristics of the regional variety of Eastern New England
- 5.2.1. The retroflex /r/
- 5.2.2. The r-coloring
- 5.2.3. [hw] and [w]
- 5.2.4. The approximant /j/
- 6. The Central Midland
- 6.1 The origins of the variety spoken in the Central Midland
- 6.2. Characteristics of the regional variety of the Central Midland
- 6.2.1. The retroflex /r/
- 6.2.2. Voiced fricative /z/ versus unvoiced fricative/s/
- 6.2.3. The approximant /j/
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this paper is to investigate regional dialect variation within the United States, focusing on three Northern American dialect regions: Eastern New England, the South, and the Central Midland. The study initially aimed to be more comprehensive, but scope was reduced to focus primarily on consonant sounds, excluding vowels except for r-coloring, due to time constraints.
- Regional variations in American English pronunciation
- Consonant phoneme differences across dialects
- The historical development of regional dialects
- Specific phonetic features distinguishing the chosen regions
- Comparison of selected consonant sounds across the three regions
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter explains the author's motivation for studying regional dialect variation in American English, stemming from personal experience in attempting to adopt an American accent. It details the initial, broader scope of the planned research, which included all ten major dialect regions and a comprehensive analysis of phonemes. The chapter concludes with an explanation of the limitations imposed on the project, culminating in the decision to narrow the focus to three specific regions (Eastern New England, the South, and the Central Midland) and mainly to consonant sounds, leaving out the vowels with the exception of r-coloring.
2. The sounds of American English: This chapter provides an overview of the sounds of American English, focusing on both consonant and vowel phonemes. It presents a detailed list of phonetic symbols representing consonant sounds, categorized by place and manner of articulation. Specific aspects like the "flapped /t/" and the distinction between "light" and "dark" /l/ are discussed in detail. While the chapter lays the groundwork by listing vowel phonemes, it emphasizes that a detailed analysis will be omitted from the study.
3. American English dialect regions: This chapter offers a brief overview of the ten major dialect regions in the United States. While the author initially intended to study all of them, this chapter simply provides context for the narrowed focus of the study, explaining that the research will only comprehensively analyze three specific regions - Eastern New England, the South and the Central Midland. It provides a geographic context for the following chapters’ more detailed regional analysis, setting the stage for deeper exploration of the chosen dialect regions.
4. The South: This chapter delves into the origins and characteristics of Southern American English. It explores the historical development of the dialect, examining its unique phonetic features. Detailed analysis of the retroflex /r/, r-coloring, the contrast between voiced and unvoiced fricatives /z/ and /s/, the light and dark /l/ sounds, and the approximant /j/ are key components. The chapter focuses on how these features are manifest and what makes this dialect distinctive.
5. Eastern New England: This chapter provides an in-depth study of the dialect spoken in Eastern New England. Similar to the chapter on the South, it traces the historical development and discusses characteristic features. Key phonetic characteristics analysed include the retroflex /r/, r-coloring, the distinction between [hw] and [w], and the approximant /j/. The chapter connects these characteristics to the history and evolution of the region’s dialect, highlighting its unique aspects.
6. The Central Midland: This chapter explores the origins and features of the Central Midland dialect, focusing on distinctive phonetic characteristics. It analyzes the retroflex /r/, the contrast between voiced and unvoiced fricatives /z/ and /s/, and the approximant /j/. The chapter uses these phonetic details to illustrate how the Central Midland dialect differs from the other two, providing comparative insights and demonstrating similarities and differences.
Keywords
American English, regional dialects, phonetic features, consonant phonemes, vowel phonemes, retroflex /r/, r-coloring, light /l/ versus dark /l/, voiced fricative /z/, unvoiced fricative /s/, approximant /j/, Eastern New England, the South, Central Midland, dialect variation, linguistic geography.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of American English Dialects
What is the main focus of this language preview?
This preview offers a structured overview of regional dialect variation in American English, concentrating primarily on consonant sounds (excluding vowels, except for r-coloring) across three Northern American dialect regions: Eastern New England, the South, and the Central Midland. It includes the title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What are the key objectives and themes explored?
The primary objective is to investigate regional pronunciation differences within these three specific regions. Key themes include regional variations in American English pronunciation, consonant phoneme differences, historical development of regional dialects, specific phonetic features distinguishing the regions, and a comparative analysis of selected consonant sounds across the three regions.
Which specific dialect regions are analyzed in detail?
The preview focuses on three major dialect regions: Eastern New England, the South, and the Central Midland. While initially planned to be more comprehensive (including all ten major dialect regions), the scope was narrowed due to time constraints.
What phonetic features are analyzed in each region?
The analysis centers on specific consonant sounds. Common features across regions include the retroflex /r/ and the approximant /j/. Additional features specific to each region include:
- The South: r-coloring, voiced fricative /z/ versus unvoiced fricative /s/, light /l/ versus dark /l/.
- Eastern New England: r-coloring, [hw] and [w] distinction.
- Central Midland: voiced fricative /z/ versus unvoiced fricative /s/.
What is included in each chapter of the preview?
The preview includes the following:
- Chapter 1 (Introduction): Explains the author's motivation, initial research scope, and the limitations that led to the narrowed focus.
- Chapter 2 (The sounds of American English): Provides an overview of American English sounds, focusing on consonants and briefly mentioning vowels.
- Chapter 3 (American English dialect regions): Briefly overviews all ten major dialect regions, providing context for the chosen three.
- Chapters 4-6 (The South, Eastern New England, Central Midland): These chapters delve into the historical development and characteristic phonetic features of each chosen dialect region.
What are the keywords associated with this language preview?
Keywords include: American English, regional dialects, phonetic features, consonant phonemes, vowel phonemes, retroflex /r/, r-coloring, light /l/ versus dark /l/, voiced fricative /z/, unvoiced fricative /s/, approximant /j/, Eastern New England, the South, Central Midland, dialect variation, linguistic geography.
Why was the scope of the research narrowed?
The initial research plan aimed to be more comprehensive, encompassing all ten major dialect regions and a complete analysis of phonemes. However, due to time constraints, the scope was reduced to focus on three regions and primarily on consonant sounds.
What is the overall goal of this study?
The study aims to provide a detailed analysis of regional dialect variation in American English, focusing on specific phonetic features that distinguish three major dialect regions. This analysis contributes to a better understanding of the complexities and diversity within American English pronunciation.
- Quote paper
- Dagmar Hecher (Author), 2004, Regional Dialect Variation within the United States of America, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/60698
