
Why is the English spoken by Maine lobstermen so different from thatscene from the broadcast spoken by cowboys in Texas? Does Spanish pose a threat to English as the dominant language in America? And what on earth do yins, wickety wack, ayuh, catty whompus, and stomping it clean mean? Robert MacNeil travels cross-country to answer these questions and examine the dynamic state of American English – a language rich with regional variety, strong global impact and cultural controversy.
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Air Date: 2005-01-05
MacNeil’s journey begins in Maine and winds around to Detroit after stops in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsbur...
Air Date: 2005-01-05
Do You Speak American? heads into the Deep South for a look at Appalachian and “hillbilly,” shaped by the Scots-Irish...
Air Date: 2005-01-05
Now on the left coast, the series spotlights Spanglish – a hybrid of Spanish and English – with a segment on Patricia...