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Pronunciation

22 maps showing how different Americans pronounce different words

Hey y’all – do you want some slaw?

EVERYONE KNOWS that Americans don’t exactly agree on pronunciations.

Regional accents are a major part of what makes American English so interesting as a dialect.

Joshua Katz, a PhD student in statistics at North Carolina State University, just published a group of awesome visualisations of a linguistic survey that looked at how Americans pronounce words.

His results were first published on Abstract, the NC State research blog.

Joshua gave Business Insider permission to publish some of the coolest maps from his collection:

The pronunciation of ‘caramel’ starts disregarding vowels once you go west of the Ohio River

The pronunciation of "caramel" starts disregarding vowels once you go west of the Ohio River

Residents of the far north have an oddly Canadian way of pronouncing "been"

Residents of the far north have an oddly Canadian way of pronouncing "been"

For whatever reason, it's a "boo-wie" knife in Texas and D.C.

For whatever reason, it's a "boo-wie" knife in Texas and D.C.

Americans can't even agree how to pronounce crayon

American's can't even agree how to pronounce crayon.

The South is the only place where you'll try to call your "law-yer" instead of your "loyer"

The South is the only place where you'll try to call your  "law-yer" instead of your "loyer"

The South is also really into slaw. The North and West call it coleslaw

The South is also really into slaw. The North and West call it coleslaw.

This is the deepest and most obvious linguistic divide in America. It's also an example of how everyone in south Florida pronounces things in the northern U.S. style

This is the deepest and most obvious linguistic divide in America. It's also an example of how everyone in south Florida pronounces things in the northern U.S. style.

The US is a nation divided over mayonnaise

We are a nation divided over mayonnaise.

Some of the deepest schisms in America are over the pronunciation of the second syllable of "pajamas"

Some of the deepest schisms in America are over the pronunciation of the second syllable of "pajamas"

Okay, this one is crazy. Everyone pronounces "Pecan Pie" differently

Okay, this one is crazy. Everyone pronounces "Pecan Pie" differently.

Everyone knows that the Midwest calls it "pop", the Northeast and West Coast call it "soda," while the South is really into brand loyalty

Everyone knows that the Midwest calls it "pop", the Northeast and West Coast call it "soda," while the South is really into brand loyalty.

Tiny lobsters are tearing the USA apart

Tiny lobsters are tearing this country apart.

So are traffic circles

So are traffic circles.

The Northeast corridor puts "sear-up" on their pancakes

The Northeast corridor puts "sear-up" on their pancakes.

Philadelphia is just making it up as it goes along

Philadelphia is just making it up as it goes along.

Let's ignore the East Coast/West Coast split and notice that Wisconsin and Rhode Island call a water fountain a "bubbler"

Let's ignore the East Coast/West Coast split and notice that Wisconsin and Rhode Island call a water fountain a "bubbler."

The Northeast [and south Florida] puts on sneakers, everyone else finds a pair of tennis shoes

The Northeast [and south Florida] puts on sneakers, everyone else finds a pair of tennis shoes.

The West Coast is really into their freeways

The West Coast is really into their freeways.

Seriously? Alabama and Mississippi, that is terrible

Seriously? Alabama and Mississippi that is terrible.

Most of America realises that New York really is 'the City'

Most of America realizes that New York really is "The City."

These exist?!

These exist?!

Massachusetts, Long Island and Jersey are the only places that see a difference between 'merry', 'marry' and 'Mary'

Massachusetts, Long Island and Jersey are the only places that see a difference between Merry, mary and marry.

Read: 15 of the most terrifying rollercoasters on the planet

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