"Well, American dialects have been studied for a hundred years or so"

When William Labov remarks that "Well, American dialects have been studied for a hundred years or so", he alludes to the long and rigorous academic tradition of examining language variation within the United States. The statement acknowledges that the systematic study of dialects in America is not a recent development; rather, it is rooted in a century of scholarly work analyzing how Americans speak, how their accents differ, and what social or regional factors influence these differences.

This reference to a hundred years of dialect research highlights both the complexity of the American linguistic landscape and the sustained interest scholars have had in mapping it. From the earliest linguistic surveys, such as the Dialect Survey of American English conducted in the 19th and early 20th centuries, to contemporary sociolinguistic investigations, the field has amassed a rich body of knowledge about pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and the subtle ways these forms shift over time and space.

Labov’s statement also subtly situates current conversations about language diversity within a broader historical context. Discussions of regional and social dialects, accents, and linguistic change are often perceived as contemporary concerns or linked solely to recent social dynamics. However, Labov reminds us that such questions have occupied the minds of linguists for generations, being central to understanding not just language, but American culture and identity itself.

Additionally, by referencing the longevity of dialect study, Labov implies an accumulation of scholarly insight. Decades of research have elucidated patterns of migration, settlement, and contact that underlie dialect divisions, tracing the ways communities shape language to reflect their identities. The ongoing nature of research underscores that dialectology is a living discipline, continuously uncovering how language adapts, persists, or resists change in the American context.

Ultimately, Labov’s observation serves as both a testament to the discipline’s depth and a prompt to value the historical rigor underpinning our present understanding of American English varieties.