regional speech
Area's distinctive language
Regional speech is language that varies by geographic area—the distinctive vocabulary, pronunciation, and expressions found in particular regions.
A Bostonian's accent differs from a Texan's; Southerners say y'all while Pittsburghers say yinz.
Regional speech may mark identity and belonging or invite stereotyping about education or sophistication.
- accentRegional speech pattern
- regional accentArea-specific pronunciation style
- patoisRegional informal speech
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- colloquialismCasual conversational expression
drawl · double negative · twang · country twang · intonation · regionalism · brogue · homegrown · local color · southerner · idiom · jargon · stress pattern · lilt · sociolinguistics · native tongue · tongue · folksy
- local pridehometown pride, civic pride, regional pride, community roots, state pride
- American dialectsregional accents, Boston accent, New York accent, Midwest accent, Texas twang
- dialectspatois, vernaculars, regional dialects, regional accent, pidgins
- English Regionalismregional dialects, local dialects
- language varietiesidiolect, sociolect, accent, patois, pidgin
- Speech Varietiescolloquial, register, jargon, Ebonics, Cajun
regional speechstandard language
Codified, official linguistic form
BBC English · Standard German · Queen's English · official language · formal speech
regional speechuniversal language
Speech all understand
lingua franca · global English · world language · Esperanto · pidgin