Here's why:
* Regional Dialects: The US has a vast and diverse landscape, with regional dialects varying significantly. Think of the iconic New York accent, the Southern drawl, or the Chicago "flat a" sound.
* Social Dialects: Within regions, there are also social dialects influenced by factors like socioeconomic status, education, and ethnicity.
* Shifting Usage: Language is constantly evolving, and dialect boundaries are fluid.
* Standard American English: While there's no single dialect spoken by a majority, Standard American English (SAE) is often considered the "prestige dialect" used in formal settings like news broadcasts and textbooks. However, even SAE is not a single, uniform dialect but rather a set of norms and conventions.
Instead of focusing on a single "most spoken" dialect, it's more accurate to acknowledge the rich tapestry of American English.