However, here are some commonly recognized dialect regions, and one that is *not* usually included:
Commonly Recognized:
* New England: Known for its distinctive "r" dropping and "a" vowel sounds.
* Mid-Atlantic: Characterized by a "broad a" sound and a "y" sound in words like "bird" and "fur".
* Southern: Features "y'all," "fixin' to," and a distinctive vowel pronunciation.
* Midland: Found in the central US, with a "cot/caught" merger and a "long a" sound in words like "cat" and "bad".
* West Coast: Shows influence from Spanish and Native American languages.
Not Usually Included:
* "Western American": While there are regional variations in the West, they are often grouped together under this broad label. There's no single, dominant dialect that would be considered "Western American" in the same way as the other regions listed above.
It's important to remember that dialects are complex and fluid, and the boundaries between them are often blurry.