Dictionary of American Regional English

The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) is a reference work documenting geographic variations in American English vocabulary, pronunciation, and usage across the United States. The project spans multiple volumes published between 1985-2013, representing over 50 years of research and fieldwork conducted by linguists and researchers. The dictionary contains entries for thousands of regional terms and expressions, from everyday words to obscure localisms, supported by historical documentation and geographical distribution maps. Researchers gathered data through surveys of 1,002 communities across America, along with written materials spanning three centuries of American history. The work represents language variations across social, economic, and ethnic boundaries, documenting how American English evolved in different regions. The dictionary serves as both a scholarly resource and a record of American cultural heritage through its documentation of regional speech patterns and expressions.

Readers value DARE as a reference work documenting authentic American dialect variations across regions and time periods. Reviews highlight the detailed etymology and geographic distribution maps that show where specific terms originated and spread. Readers liked: - Historical quotations showing word usage in context - Coverage of rural and informal vocabulary not found in standard dictionaries - Scientific rigor in documenting sources and pronunciations - Inclusion of regional pronunciations and grammar patterns Readers disliked: - High price of complete multi-volume set ($500+) - Technical linguistic terminology can be dense for casual readers - Print format makes quick lookups difficult compared to digital - Some entries lack audio pronunciations Ratings: Goodreads: 4.5/5 (12 reviews) Amazon: 4.7/5 (9 reviews) "An invaluable resource for understanding how Americans actually speak" - Amazon reviewer "Dense but rewarding for serious language enthusiasts" - Goodreads reviewer "Wish it was more affordable for individual buyers" - LibraryThing review

American Dialect Dictionary by Wentworth Harold A 19th and early 20th century collection of dialect terms and expressions used throughout different regions of America.

American English: Dialects and Variation by Walt Wolfram This text presents research on regional dialects across the United States with maps, linguistic data, and social context for language variations.

Speaking American: A History of English in the United States by Richard W. Bailey The book traces the development of American English from colonial times through modern usage with examples from historical documents and regional sources.

How We Talk: American Regional English Today by Allan Metcalf The work maps the linguistic patterns and regional vocabulary differences across the United States through documented field research.

American Regional Dialects: A Word Geography by Craig M. Carver This reference work presents detailed maps and data showing the geographic distribution of vocabulary variations throughout North America.

🔎 The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) took over 50 years to complete, with the first volume published in 1985 and the final volume in 2013. 🗣️ Field workers for DARE traveled to 1,002 communities across America in "Word Wagons" (customized vans) between 1965-1970 to record local dialects and expressions. 📚 The dictionary contains many terms that even native English speakers might not recognize, such as "mumblety-peg" (a knife game), "flannel cake" (a pancake), and "too much sugar for a dime" (a sassy or conceited person). 🎓 Editor-in-Chief Frederic Cassidy had a personal motto regarding the dictionary's slow but steady progress: "On to Z!" This became a rallying cry for the project, though Cassidy passed away in 2000 before reaching his goal. 🔊 The project includes over 1,800 audio recordings of Americans speaking in their regional dialects, now digitized and available to researchers through the University of Wisconsin-Madison.