Keywords

regional variable reversal, dialect decline across generations, Boomer–Gen X linguistic shift

Abstract

How are regional varieties of English faring in the US?

Ample evidence shows that canonical regional variables are undergoing _____

• “reversal” in Cincinnati and Philadelphia (Strassel & Boberg 1996, Fruehwald 2017)

• “decline” and “fall” in Michigan (Rankinen et al. 2019, Nesbitt 2021)

• “rejection” and “retreat” in Raleigh (Dodsworth & Kohn 2012; Dodsworth & Benton 2017)

Nesbitt (2021: 359) observes that “[T]he Baby Boomer–Gen X transition appears to be a pivotal transition throughout the country [and] appears to be of great importance to North American dialects in general.”

Original Publication Citation

Monica Nesbitt, Joseph A. Stanley, & Margaret E. L. Renwick. “Movement, Economy, Orientation: 20th Century Shifts in North American Language.” Panel organized at the American Dialect Society Annual Meeting. New York City. January 5.

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

2024

Publisher

American Dialect Society Annual Meeting

Language

English

College

Humanities

Department

Linguistics

University Standing at Time of Publication

Assistant Professor

Included in

Linguistics Commons

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