Some people say that "people watching" is their favorite hobby. The many people that put this PBS program together, and I, share a similar hobby: language listening. I'd love to hear what y'all think of the topics discussed on their website.

As a favorite example, are these statements true or false? Please post your responses before reading on. [Emoticon not found]

1. 1. There are people who do not speak a dialect.

   2. Some dialects are not grammatical.

   3. People who speak certain dialects do so because they are incapable of learning mainstream Standard English.

   4. Speaking a dialect limits what one is able to express.

   5. They speak really bad English down south and in New York City.

   6. Women talk too much.

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Most every peer-reviewed article and textbook I've read (which are also some of the same referenced by this PBS program) on the subject agrees with the following interpretation.

Americans tend to subscribe to a number of myths about language. A common one is that there are people who do not speak a dialect. Linguists, however, use the terms dialect to refer to any variety of a language, and they point out that it is impossible to speak English without speaking some particular dialect of English. Everyone speaks a dialect—though some are prestigious and some are stigmatized. A second common myth is that some dialects are not grammatical. Linguists use the term grammatical to mean rule-governed and patterned. All dialects are indeed grammatical in this sense, since they each have their own rules of sound and syntax. No dialect is haphazard; all are systematic. A third myth is that people who speak certain dialects do so because they are incapable of learning mainstream Standard English. In fact, dialects persist for many reasons, one of the most important being that ways of speaking are closely bound up with personal identity. Children learn to speak the variety of language that is spoken by the people around them, whether that is Standard English or one of the many vernacular varieties of English. A final myth is that speaking a dialect limits what one is able to express. In fact, many dialects have features that express meanings that are difficult to convey in Standard English.

Is there something "wrong" with some people's English? Read here.

For more on female speech, read here.

I love the way this site presents the debate about Standard American English, "correct" language and self-proclaimed grammar police (and difference between prescriptivists and descriptivists), and the effects of stygmatizing certain dialects (I love this video. If this link doesn't work, you'll find it at the top of this page.).

How does the socio-linguistic landscape in New York, parallel Utah?

Guess where these speakers are from.

...so I typed up a response, THEN read what t_roach had to say about it all... Got to say, I felt pretty smart... I haven't read through all the links, but what I did read was very interesting.

Anyway, my response to the T/F questions:
"1. False- Some dialects may be more mainstream than others, but since there are so many different ways of speaking the same language, I'd say every variation is a dialect.
2. True- Assuming by 'grammatical' you mean 'conforming to the published rules of grammar', then I'd say that there are dialects out there in which certain phrases are commonly understood among the speakers of that dialect but are not, strictly speaking, grammatically correct.
Wait. I just looked up 'dialect', and using the definition here (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/dialect) then by definition they all have their own grammar structure. So false.
3. False- As a rule, I don't like blanket statements like that. No, some people just speak that way because they don't have/see a reason to speak any other.
4. I guess it depends on the dialect, but in general I'd say that language is designed for people to express themeslves to other people, and most dialects should facilitate that just as well as any other.
5. True and False, depending on who you mean by "they". Some people in the South DO speak really bad english. They aren't clear, they don't know how to express themselves, and talking to them is difficult because you can't understand the words they're saying OR how those words fit together and make sense. On the other hand, some people in the South have an excellent command of the English language. I've met both kinds.
6. Again, true and false. Some women don't talk enough, and could avoid all kinds of problems if they would just speak up now and then. Some women talk a WHOLE lot, and everyone else (including other women) just wishes they could get a word in edgewise. And, of course, 'too much' is a little subjective for a true/false answer."

There you go, roach. Feedback. [Emoticon not found]

Effervescence:

On the whole "if women or men dominate the discussions more" idea, I find it ironic that Jamie and I are the 2 to respond so far and give feedback

just look at the forum stats for more proof that boys like to talk a lot [Emoticon not found]

traci:

Effervescence:

On the whole "if women or men dominate the discussions more" idea, I find it ironic that Jamie and I are the 2 to respond so far and give feedback

just look at the forum stats for more proof that boys like to talk a lot [Emoticon not found]

Ok... Miss 1500 posts

:chewie: :bob:

traci:

right. but i'm the only girl in the top five. thomas and justin talk WAY more than i do.

And how many gay points do they each have?

bobthecow:

Buzz:

traci:

right. but i'm the only girl in the top five. thomas and justin talk WAY more than i do.

And how many gay points do they each have?

watch it. you are only spared gay points because you don't live in the house any more.

And then there's that whole marriage thing. Real or a cover up?

Then I must say, this is the best camouflage I have ever had [Emoticon not found]

Haha, you are getting better at covering your tracks.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/illegitimate

What were you saying again, Bob? [Emoticon not found]

What was the context last night? I forgot already. I was standing by the oven...

www.googlefight.com

I am cool.

dang.

ElChuy:

The result? "illegitimate use" wins by a landslide... (70,300 to 11,800 results)

yeah, but most of the "illegitimate use" results are from formal or legal sources. it seems like "not legitmate" is more common for informal speech, which was justin's whole point.

Buzz:

I'm teh coolest, apparently

Dang. Too bad you can't spel!1

all desent spel chekerz