Abstract
Chapter 11 considers the overall results of this New England project in terms of current sociolinguistic theory, including Labov’s “outward orientation of the language faculty,” dialect leveling, convergence and divergence, and other frameworks. The chapter then proposes that a notion of “Hub social geometry” can provide additional insights into how and why New England dialect features have changed over time. This chapter also considers the major findings of the book in light of ethnographic written responses from young adults who grew up in the area and experienced sharp generational changes and dialect leveling. The chapter also reviews other scholars’ work on perceptual dialectology in the region, and suggests future lines of research on New England English.
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