There is a dichotomy between the way professional linguists think and talk about language and the way laymen do so. This project focuses on the layman's common-sense description of intelligibility, correctness, regional variation, and esthetic qualities. Particpants are asked 1) to locate samples of US English along a north-south axis, 2) to rate speech areas adjacent to their own according to degree of differentness, 3) make regional judgements about correctness and pleasantness, and 4) locate US dialect areas on an outline map of the country. Results of the interviews are analysed for consistency, with an attempt to identify patterns of folk taxonomy. This is the continuation of work which has led to vigorous publication by the investigator. Practical application of the findings will find their place in teacher-training, foreign language education, and better understanding of how lay concepts of the characterisitics of a given speech community may be involved in the community's practical problems.
