Philadelphia English

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Philadelphia English or Delaware Valley English (linguasphere: 52-ABA-cga) is a variety or dialect of American English native to Philadelphia and extending throughout the city's metropolitan area, including southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, northern Delaware (mainly New Castle), and northeastern Maryland. Apart from Philadelphia, the dialect is spoken in such cities as Camden, Wilmington, Reading, Vineland, and Atlantic City. Philadelphia English is one of the best-studied varieties of English, as Philadelphia's University of Pennsylvania was the home institution of pioneering sociolinguist William Labov. Philadelphia English shares certain features with New York City English and Midland American English. Philadelphia and Baltimore accents fall under what Labov described as a single Mid-Atlantic dialect, encompassing the middle of the Mid-Atlantic United States. According to linguist Barbara Johnstone, migration patterns and geography affected the dialect's development, which was...

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