“American Tongues”

Individual dialects cover all across the world there differences can be heard from one country to next or even at some points throughout the same city. A dialect is the way in which a person speaks. Any language heard today can be traced back to the previous settlers of that surrounding area and often times over the decades have merged with other dialects forming different speech patterns. A person’s dialect forms around those he is surrounded by, and may change through the course of their life. This video captures the different aspects and unique characteristics of the American language, creating a modern since of togetherness for the world. The video American Tongues produced a clear representation of how differently you may speak from your neighbor. Some differences in dialects can grow into stereotypes and the way individuals are observed. For example, those who have a southern accent may be considered slow and drawn out, and the opposite is said for northerners. Those with northern accents are judged on their typical high pitched fast paced dialect which leads to a stereotype of there “not-caring” personalities. Not only has dialect changed from different places, but also it is common to see changes between different nationalities. “There is a lot more change in the way the blacks talk,” quoted from an elderly white man. Interpretations are easily made between individuals before one knowing one another by the way they speak. It was extremely interesting to find out that no dialect is considered good or bad, that an individual’s language is what keeps the community together. Each dialect has a unique aspect to it, whether it’s the pitch or the fluency or some other factor. Texan’s for example have a very unique tone to their voice, it is very clear when you meet someone from Texas you notice the “southern twang.” Also in larger metropolitan areas such as Boston you can pick out several different dialects in the separate cultural regions.