Regional Dialects in Remote-First USA
Remote-first work means workers talk to A LOT of people who don’t necessarily sound like them. Unfortunately, most organizations do very little to address language at all — let along language differences between employees. So where to begin?
Here’s a primer on USA dialectology:
If you’ve spoken with people from different parts of the US, you’ve probably noticed that they speak differently from each other. These variations can be as minor as how someone pronounces “caramel” or as noticeable as the choice between “y'all” and “you guys” to address a group. Although with today’s news and social media we are regularly exposed to language patterns from across our countries and around the world, regional dialects persist, including ones spoken in the US. These regional variations are shaped by the country’s history and cultures.
An accent is often the most immediately obvious feature of a regional dialect. Within seconds of beginning a conversation with someone you might suspect that they are from New York, Boston, or another location, based on how they pronounce the words they say. For example someone says the “a” sound in the middle of the word “pajamas” like the “a” in “jam” (instead of like the “a” in “father”), they might be from the South or the East Coast. Vocabulary is another indicator of where someone is from. “Water fountain” and “drinking fountain” are commonly used in large areas of the country to refer to a fountain that provides drinking water in public spaces, but if someone calls this device a “bubbler”, chances are they’re from Wisconsin or Rhode Island. Heatmaps of linguistic data have been made that show differences in vocabulary and pronunciation by location, and the International Dialects of English Archive has audio recordings of people from every US state speaking English (and a few other languages), highlighting differences in accents.
Historical migrations and patterns of culture, education and social class all contribute to regional dialects. Waves of colonists, settlers and immigrants (including those from Britain, Scandinavia, and Spain) brought their languages and left a lasting impression on the English of the regions of North America they lived in. Gullah, a blend of English and West African languages developed by enslaved Africans in Georgia and South Carolina, has influenced Southern dialects of English. “Goober,” a synonym for “peanut” in parts of the South, was borrowed from Gullah. Terms from Native American languages also made their way into local English vocabulary, including “muckatymuck,” a word from Chinook jargon that has been incorporated into English in the Pacific Northwest to describe an important person.
The development of a region’s speech is also directly influenced by its geographic location. Distinct dialects frequently emerge in more remote locations. Distinct words and speech patterns can develop and evolve independently of one another when there is limited interaction between regions. In the modern world, this kind of isolation seems nearly impossible. Some regional characteristics of English in the US are starting to spread. Although it is uncommon in the South and parts of the Midwest, a sound change where the vowels in “cot” and “caught” are pronounced the same is widespread and continuing to expand. Additionally, “y’all” is beginning to catch on outside of the South.
So are regional dialects at risk of disappearing? Despite changes, regional variations are still going strong. Linguist and author Rosemarie Ostler explains that the speech patterns of early settlers are still reflected in many regional accents today, though they don’t quite the same as they did a century ago. Local dialects are changing, but not disappearing.
So the next time you’re speaking with your remote colleagues, take a moment to appreciate the linguistic differences you notice. Acknowledging regional dialects builds identity and belonging in the workplace, because LANGUAGE is simply an external indicator of our internal identity.
