Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do American English dialects differ across the Northern, Midland, and Southern regions?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
English language
Map showing the use of English as a first language, as an important second language, and as an official language in countries around the world.
The dialect regions of the United States are most clearly defined along the Atlantic coast, where early colonial settlements established three primary dialect areas: Northern, Midland, and Southern.1
Regional Dialect Characteristics
- Northern: Primarily spoken in New England, this dialect includes subdialects ranging from northeastern New England and the Boston area to the Hudson Valley and metropolitan New York.1
- Midland: This region spans from the coastal area of New Jersey and Delaware westward. It is often divided into North Midland (including parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois) and South Midland (extending into the Appalachian regions of West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and parts of the Carolinas and Georgia).21
- Southern: This dialect covers the coastal regions from Delaware to South Carolina, including the Delmarva Peninsula, the Virginia Piedmont, and the South Carolina Low Country.1
These divisions are based on historical settlement patterns and the influence of early British colonists. While these regions exhibit distinct variations in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, factors such as urbanization and modern media have increasingly leveled these differences over time.1