Dialectology

1. First watch the 1988 Peabody Award-winning documentary on American social and regional dialects called American Tongues. It was produced and directed by Louis Alvarez and Andrew Kolker for the Center for New American Media. www.cnam.com. Dialects (varieties) are an important part of all of American society, and this film reflects how dialects function throughout the country. Watch the film and observe the variety of American English, the kinds of attitudes Americans have about dialects, and the controversies surrounding their use.

Note: In the documentary the terms accent and dialect are used interchangeably to refer to language variation associated with regional and social differences among speakers of a language. These differences can occur not only in pronunciation but also in syntax (grammar), vocabulary, and conversational style. Linguists generally use the term variety instead of dialect.

Here is a review about American Tongues quoted on PBS:

“Rich in humor and regional color, this sometimes hilarious film uses the prism of language to reveal our attitudes about the way other people speak. From Boston Brahmins to Black Louisiana teenagers, from Texas cowboys to New York professionals, "American Tongues" elicits funny, perceptive, sometimes shocking, and always telling comments on American English in all its diversity.” (http://www.pbs.org/pov/americantongues/)

You can see the entire 55-minute film at

www.metacafe.com/watch/8711115/american_tongues/

(If the link does not work for some reason, try googling: american tongues watch free online.)

2. Answer each of the following questions in a few sentences or a short paragraph. Use examples and scenarios directly from the documentary. (Include a time stamp for each example, such as 11:42.)

a. Dialect differences come from a number of different sources. Name three sources or reasons for dialect differences in the United States. Explain. Give examples. (25 points)...