Speaking American: How Y’all, Youse, and You Guys Talk: A Visual Guide

by Josh Katz

From the creator of the New York Times dialect quiz that ignited conversations about how and why we say the words we say, a stunning and delightful exploration of American language

Did you know that your answers to just a handful of questions can reveal where you grew up? In December 2013, Josh Katz released an interactive dialect quiz in the New York Times that became the most viewed page in the paper's history. Now a graphics editor, Katz harnessed the overwhelming response to that quiz to create Speaking American, an extraordinary and beautiful tour through the American vernacular.

How do you pronounce "pecan"? What do you call a long sandwich with varieties of meats and cheeses? Do you cut the grass or mow the lawn?

The answers to these questions—and the distinctions they reveal about who says what and where they say it—are not just the ultimate in cocktail party fodder; they are also windows into the history of our nation, our regions, and our language. On page after page, readers will be fascinated and charmed by these stunning maps of how Americans speak as they gain new insights into our language and ourselves. 

For fans of Eats, Shoots and Leaves and How the States Got Their Shapes, Speaking American is an irresistible feast of American regional speech.

Genres: Nonfiction, Language, Linguistics, Adult, History, Reference, Sociology

203 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Josh Katz, a graphics editor at the New York Times, holds a master's degree in statistics from North Carolina State University. His passion for data visualization led him to develop the statistical algorithm underlying the now famous New York Times dialect quiz and maps.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating infographic look at American English language differences in the United States, such as different word choices to mean the same thing, or pronunciation differences for the same word. Do you call it a drinking fountain, a water fountain, or a bubbler? Do you pronounce the T in often? Do you say law-yer or loy-er?

Seeing all these dialectal differences got me thinking about my own speech. I agreed with most of the word choices for my region, but the pronunciation choices were harder to distinguish. I need to record a casual, candid conversation where these words come up to see how I really say certain words, because at least for me, some of these left me feeling that two were potential options for me. I also think that maybe sometimes I do use pronunciations interchangeably dependent on context or other words in the sentence. I need to give this more study!

I can see how within family groups word choice and pronunciation may change over time. When I was young, my dad pronounced aunt the less common way (ahnt), but I have never pronounced it that way. Maybe my mom's pronunciation overruled in my brain, maybe it was outside influences, maybe it was the changing times.

The infographic format is not only visually appealing, but it also makes this super readable and provides easy talking points for around the watercooler or the campfire. No matter what you say, or how you say it, this is a fun book to browse and discuss with friends and family.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and attractive and informative book. It has enough information not part of the internet quiz(zes) to make it worth reading. I liked how it was organized. I love the study of linguistics, and of language use and how it’s different in different places, in different sub-cultures, and over time, so this book’s contents are my cup of tea.

Yes, as usual, I’m mostly west coast, California, San Francisco, but I was gratified to see that with several words & phrases my time spent on the east coast and elsewhere in the U.S. did stick.

This would be a fun book for a group of friends (perhaps college or work friends) to read together and make comparisons. It would make for an enjoyable conversation/party game.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many articles have been written about American dialectical differences, but Speaking American, with its more extensive look at these differences, is superior to those. Author Josh Katz eschewed text-y explanations in favor of big, color-coded maps of the U.S. that he prefaced with brief explanations.

Katz touched on the fact that America's unique melting-pot identity has contributed to dialectical differences--differences that then evolved to hardly resemble the originals. These cover a wide array of things, from food to animals to transportation, and he divided the book in this way. "How We Live," covers such varied topics as names for athletic footwear; lawn care; and how we respond when someone sneezes. Other chapters are "What We Eat," "How We Sound" (pronunciation differences); "Where We Go"; and "Things We See." (See status updates below this review for a sampling of entries.)

The book is mostly maps, but a few pages here and there are text, divided into three or four sections homing in on those places deserving of elaboration (entire states, such as Wisconsin or specific cities, such as Baltimore). Katz limited these to maybe five pages total, and most fill only a single page.

Beautifully laid out and easy to understand, Speaking American has been my most enjoyable read so far in 2020. As far as I can tell, Katz covered the majority of differences, even tiny, very specific ones, such as the use of "yins" in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh only. I noticed only one omission--"whistle pig" as another name for "woodchuck" and "groundhog"; he discussed only those last two.

Speaking American would be good for the coffee table--a superb conversation-starter for getting to know friends that much better. I imagine linguists will find it simplistic, but the average reader, especially one who's read very little on the topic, will be fascinated.

[Jayna Baas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, colorful book. I have a friend who tells me to “speak American” when my vocabulary gets a little highfalutin, so I couldn’t help but think of him as I read this. I was familiar with some of the dialect divides (pop vs. soda), but I learned several new ones, too—I never thought about there being regional differences in whether we mow the lawn or cut the grass. It was also fun to see myself in the dialect maps and realize some of my pronunciations actually are regional. I would have preferred more detail on some words and less detail on others, and I thought there were a few things missing (youse is a thing up here in rural northern Michigan, not just in the Pennsylvania area), but overall it was a great, quick look at the diversity of American speech. The historical notes and theories were fun as well. Fascinating stuff!

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a quick, fun read, a coffee-table type book that uses maps to demonstrate how different regions of America pronounce common words and use different expressions to describe the same things. If you've ever been curious to know how words like "been" and "aunt" are pronounced in different regions, or which Americans say "mow the lawn" as opposed to "cut the grass," or "skillet" instead of "frying-pan," you'll have fun looking through this.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I remember when the author's regional pronunciation quiz was circulating on facebook in 2013; I recall being touched to realize that (thanks to me) my half-Russian boy who has lived in Queens his whole life says "pecan" just like the grandfather he barely remembers who was born in Little Rock. My son and I had great fun paging through this together, but for such a physically large volume it went by awfully fast. I would have given it four stars had it been longer.

[orangerful · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great to have on hand at a gathering with friends and family. We "read" it together in between the Thanksgiving meal and dessert.

You might remember taking the dialect quiz that Josh Katz posted online back in 2013. These are the more interesting results, presented with percentages and fun maps.

If you're worried about a family gathering this year and what to talk about, buy this book and take it with you! It will give you a good solid hour of "safe" discussion.

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and interesting read about the different dialects in American English. The graphics were a bit confusing at times with the shading, but linguistics are interesting to me and it was fun to learn which of them are influenced by where I live and what ones I have no idea how I picked up.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

The statistics are well-presented and easy to understand, and the writing voice throughout is surprisingly wry and amusing. I absolutely loved this book, and I'm so glad that I came across it at the library. I highly recommend it to those who are interested in language and regional differences.

[Syntaxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun layman's linguistic coffee tablebook.
best read aloud with friends!

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Speaking American takes a close look at the different words and pronunciations people use across America for the same thing. Coke? Or soda? Highway? Or freeway? PEEee-can? Or pee-CAN? It's filled with fun graphs to show where regional variations occur. You can't help sharing this with others. There were a few words (pocketbook for purse, davenport for couch) I was disappointed that I did not find, but maybe these will appear in a subsequent book.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple visual aid--colored maps of the U.S.--illustrating various regional peculiarities in speech, words themselves or pronunciation. Supposedly, one can tell where someone grew up by which expressions used. Many examples are given. Fascinating, meant to be dipped into.

[Mommassa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book to share with language nerds. It was such a fun read especially with friends from around the country. The author included several areas. Do you say... hoegie/hero/grinder?
soda/pop/coke? been - ben/bin? fireflies/lightning bug? tennis shoes/gym shoes/sneakers?
aunt - ahnt/ant? kitty corner/catty corner?
Enjoy!!

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend reading with someone from another part of the country in your vicinity so that you can stop and ask them to pronounce words and name things. An interesting, quick read. I also found that a few things that I thought were universal are pretty uniquely Michigan.

[Abbygael · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book fun maps and silly words!

[Cindy Huskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, well, well, look no further, fellow linguaphiles, for I have stumbled upon the holy grail of conversation starters: Speaking American by Josh Katz. Let me tell you, this book is like a linguistic firework show—you crack it open, and suddenly everyone in the room is debating whether it's "soda" or "pop." For the record, it's "coke" - as in, "What flavor coke you want? Regular, Diet, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up?"



First things first, who knew that a few innocent questions about your vocabulary could practically unveil your hometown? With the finesse of a linguistic detective, Katz is armed with even more semantic gems that we rarely think about. Have you ever sat and pondered the correct pronunciation of "pecan"? Or found yourself embroiled in a heated debate over whether it's a "sub" or a "hoagie"? Fear not, y'all, for Katz has the answers, and they're served up on a platter of stunning maps and delightful anecdotes.

This book isn't just about words; it's about unraveling the rich tapestry of American language and culture. Each page is a treasure trove of insights into why we speak the way we do, offering a glimpse into the quirky regionalisms that make our country oh-so-colorful.

So, next time you find yourself at a loss for words at a cocktail party, just whip out Speaking American, and watch as the conversation derails into the correct pronunciation of "caramel." (Admit it. You're saying it in your head right now.)

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a Drivers Ed teacher. I teach in Washington, where some of my students poke fun of my Wisconsin accent and sayings. One student brought me this book, thinking I could use it. It’s a GOLD MINE! Any teacher who at times finds keeping teenagers engaged in learning will find this a fantastic resource. I find that there’s no better way to encourage class participation and to break down walls than when you give students a chance to band together and laugh with each other. All it takes is to open up this book to any random page and show them the way people in other states talk. Water fountain vs bubbler. Coke vs soda. And on and on.
I also host foreign exchange students. They love reading this! And I take it along on exchange student get togethers and read it to them. They crack up!
Try it and you will be amazed! I wish that I could find more books like this!

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have seen many of these online before. The book certainly is pretty. And there isn't much text, so it wouldn't take much longer to 'read' than it does to skim as a coffee table book. I'm not sure that I trust the science, especially the precise numbers, but to look at regional specialty words is fun, and to see trends across North/South or cohorts of ppl born in the fifties vs born in the nineties is also interesting.

Recommended if your library has it. Otherwise, google it and I bet you'll get plenty.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was just plain fun, particularly if you're a data nerd. There's a wide variety of information explored and laid out in well done infographics. Having grown up in almost every corner of the US, I'm particularly drawn to these types of information because it's fun to see where I developed specific speech patterns.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the nuance of language and words so this book was so fascinating to me. I feel like I should own a copy as it would make a great book to sit around with friends and talk about. I highly recommend reading it if you have any interest in language at all, very fun read.

[lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was really fun to learn about other dialects and also be called out for my own southern way of speaking lmao. it's funny to see these differences visually and i'm glad i got to read it and will prob look through it time and time again.

[E. C. Koch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back when I was still in the teaching game and got to the lesson about nations, states, and nation-states I trotted out a few heat maps depicting regional usage and pronunciation differences across America in an attempt to explain how large, formal, nominally unified groups (like states) can be viewed as a composition of smaller, less formal, practically unified groups (like nations). Or something like that. I’m sure the lesson never landed, but this was still the best part of the year because when those maps showed up I got my classes to engage for a glorious five minutes before going back to sleep. Those maps I pulled from the internet were, of course, the work of one, Josh Katz, a statistician and graphics editor, and the work that began as a semi-formal internet poll is displayed here in its completed form as the book, Speaking American. What you get here is just more of the same, a collection of colorized heat maps depicting funny usage and pronunciation differences across America, along with a few short essays describing the quirks specific to particular states and regions. Naturally, my eye consistently shot to where I grew up – New Jersey (where, incidentally, Katz is from too) – to see whether I met with the respective map’s statistical prediction, and, as I saw time and again in the classroom, my wife and daughter couldn’t help looking over my shoulder to see where they fit too. Though there may not be very many words on the page, there’s still as much to read here as you choose to afford, and as my beleaguered former students (and wife and kid) will tell you it’s all fascinating.

[Akemi G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book about the pronunciation and vocabulary variations in American English. While mass media keeps erasing regional variations, distinct differences still exist! -- and as someone who studied linguistics a little, I like it.

Some examples:
* Is "aunt" a homophone of "ant" for you? How about "route" and "root"?
* Do you pronounce "quarter" with the W sound?
* You've probably heard the discussion about "soda" vs "pop." But do you know "cocola"? (No, it's not cocoa, it's soda.)

It also leaves me with a few questions:
* My Tennessee friend taught me that "y'all" is NOT the plural form of "you," but singular--the plural form is "y'all 'n y'all".
* I think "sweet tea" is a southern term, and in the north (or at least in Ohio where I lived) it was called "sweetened tea." Like, when you order iced tea at a restaurant, the waitperson would ask, "Sweetened or unsweetened?" in Ohio, but in Tennessee, sweet tea is the default unless you specifically ask for unsweetened tea.

And here is a tip. When you are in Pacific NW, you don't just say "salmon" at the store. Nor "king salmon" or "red salmon." We respect the indigenous population and say "chinook" "sockeye" etc.

[Bettendorf Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, you’ve seen this stuff online. Yes, you’ve heard of these quirky factoids. But! You have not seen them collected and in such a colorful, visual way. Maps of the United States are shown in color to illustrate the variations of vocabulary and pronunciation of words we use by region. There are graphs illustrating the differences based on age too. Some words have fallen out of use and we are homogenous in using and pronouncing their replacements. Other words have very strong regional pronunciations: how do you pronounce crayons? There are concepts or events that have no vocabulary in certain parts of our country: a drive-through liquor store anyone? What do you call the little road that runs alongside the highway? How about the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the road? There’s more, more, more to explore! -Darcey

[Berit Ericson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly super entertaining and the visuals were fantastic. I kind of love how the part of the word that I'm from was almost always different from the surrounding areas. Way to go St Louis metro, way to be different. Also, thank the lord for an explanation as to why my friends say things differently than I do and then look at me like I'm crazy. stop being from other parts of the world, friends :p

[Alec Lurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really interesting read for any language nerd! I'm not giving 5 stars only because I wish they would've put more timeline maps and etymological origins in the text, rather than statistics. The percentages of dialectical trends are interesting, but the maps and histories really made the book worth reading.

[Lexy Kelleher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun and interesting look at how the English language varies across the United States, sometimes even down to the city/county. Although visually appealing, I felt that the maps could have really benefitted with clearer labeling or written explanations. Some of them were confusing, and some even seemed misleading. Overall, though, I really enjoyed flipping through this book. How else would I have known my husband says lightning bugs instead of fireflies? You think you know a person...

[James Kennedy Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun easy read. It gives an overview of major regional differences in speech from what you call a shopping cart or a carbonated beverage to the road you drive on. As a California girl living in the Midwest who has family on the East Coast the differences in speech and what we call things is very apparent to me. This book is just a fun overview celebrating our differences.

[Katrina Rigsbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a military brat, this was fascinating. I have so many words that have specific pronunciation and sayings that I have picked up over all the moves and close friends. I found out that I am not alone, but in the 2% of the country that says "krowns" when they pronounce crayons. Dan got this a couple Christmases ago, and while I pawed through it before, this was the first time I sat down to read it cover to cover. Very interesting and fun.

[aves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgot to add this earlier and need to hit my yearly reading goal.

Super interesting light read! Would love to buy as a coffee table book, I think it would be a great conversation starter to get to know where guests are from. I had no idea that freeway is a California thing and that everyone else is calling it a highway and that was traumatizing to learn. 💀