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Originally Posted by cw1865
Well, I live in NJ and I think you're in PA, so I think you're familiar with the fact that the greatest divergence over smaller areas is on the East Coast. I think the point of the book was that if the regions had remained 'completely' isolated that we essentially would be speaking barely mutually intelligible dialects; rather than mostly mutually intelligble regional accents. Somebody on the east coast will pick up that I am from NY metro; when I go to California, all they pick up on is that I am from 'back east'
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I know that it used to be said that the US was the most mobile population in the world, and I imagine that is still true. As a military brat, that moved every couple of years, I remember my Texas accent being very amusing to my fellow students in Queens, NY. But as a result, my accent eventually smoothed out, and I picked up (and I'm sure, dropped off, too) some tidbits from other regions.
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With respect to looking up words that you don't know how to spell that would be absolutely infuriating.
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I always thought it was a particularly narrow-minded approach. At LEAST talk the kid through the spelling, letting him find it, with your help. That'll stick with him a lot longer.