Standard American English
The broad accent associated with national US broadcasting and most of the inland north and west. A reference point rather than a single regional variety.
- Spoken in
- Approximate centre
- 41.88°, -87.63°
Dialect comparison
General American vs Southern American English
Compare two dialects of English side by side — where they're spoken, what they're called, and how they relate.
Southern Drawl
The dialects of the US South, characterised by the Southern Vowel Shift, the pin-pen merger, and a distinct lexical tradition.
- Spoken in
- Approximate centre
- 33.75°, -84.39°
How to read this comparison
Which one to learn
Start with General American or Southern American English based on the community, country, or media you expect to use most.
Mutual understanding
Shared language labels do not guarantee identical speech. Compare country coverage, aliases, and audio where available.
Where to go next
Open each dialect page for sources, nearby varieties, atlas context, and app availability.
Keep exploring
Read the full picture of English and the dialects within it.
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DialectGeneral AmericanThe broad accent associated with national US broadcasting and most of the inland north and west. A reference point rather than a single regional variety.DialectSouthern American EnglishThe dialects of the US South, characterised by the Southern Vowel Shift, the pin-pen merger, and a distinct lexical tradition.CompareAfrican American Vernacular English vs General AmericanAtlasExplore the atlasRead the full picture of English and the dialects within it.