Overview
- The Word Finder surveyed 3,042 U.S. adults in February via a weighted online panel, asking which regional accents and slang they use or hear less.
- Appalachian, Southern and Louisiana English topped the list of dialects people say are declining most in everyday conversation.
- High-profile city dialects such as New York City, New England and Philadelphia ranked lower than expected, which researchers link to preservation through media exposure.
- Roughly 70% of surveyed parents preferred their children speak in a 'General American' style, while 64% said they dropped slang as outdated and 36% avoided regional phrases at work.
- The results reflect self-reported perceptions rather than acoustic analysis, underscoring ongoing dialect leveling associated with migration and demographic mixing.