Dialect Boundaries in New Jersey

Abstract

This article uses a questionnaire to examine phonological, lexical, and grammatical forms that earlier studies identified as markers of dialect distinctions in New Jersey to ascertain whether the boundaries have changed for the youngest generation of speakers. The questionnaire was given to college students and mailed to high schools around the state for completion by college-bound seniors. Results indicate that in some cases the dialect differences more or less match those in existence for many generations, with a north-south division clearly evident. In other instances, the influence of New York City is evident, with variables decreasing in frequency as distance from the city increases. In still other cases, older statewide forms are disappearing, supplanted by variants found more typically outside of the East Coast.