Language Use in the United States: Your Opinions

This survey is being conducted as part of a larger study of language use and attitudes in the United States in preparation for revisions to a book on that subject. More information on the book and author are available here. If you'd like to participate, your candid, honest responses are very welcome. This is not a quiz, and no points are awarded. I am interested in your real reactions. --edited to add: -- Sometimes you may find it hard to pick one answer, but please try to do so anyway. If you feel strongly about something and dislike the way you are required to respond, please do say so in the comment section at the end. Provide as much detail as you like, it's all good information. If you would like to participate but don't want to leave an email address, that's fine -- you can use anonymous@englishwithanaccent.com; in a similar way, you need not use your real first name. If you chose to use the anonymous email and/or not leave a way to contact you, you cannot be included in the drawing. --end edit --

You are, and will remain, anonymous. All information gathered will be deleted when the survey is complete, unless you specifically request to be included on mailings.

Note: you may only complete the survey once. Please return to the English with an Accent main page when you are finished.

	Yes	No
Growing up I spoke English at home (may be in addition to a second language)
Aside from occasional trips or assignments, I have always lived in the U.S.
I am willing to supply a valid email address.
I can supply a valid U.S. mailing address if I win the drawing.
I agree to abide by the rules of this survey and drawing, and

	proper English	questionable English	people do say it, but it's incorrect usage	nobody would say that	just plain wrong
"She put the change in her pocket and forgot about it."
"I have a friend lives downtown."
"Mr. Smith wanted to know could he borrow the lawnmower."
"I asked what Fred put peanut butter on."
"If you're going out, I'm coming with."
"The house needs painted."
"That don't make a bit of sense."
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
"Hans knew what was Felix doing."
"If you had just sang the song the teacher wanted you to sing, you would have got a good grade."
"We're going down the shore for the weekend."
"The frogs will forget about you if you be quiet and just watch."
"Whatsa matter?"
"If everybody would just put their dirty dishes in the dishwasher, I'd be happy."

	Positively Inclined	Negatively Inclined	Neither Positively nor Negatively	I'm not familiar with this accent
Arkansas
African-American
Boston
Buffalo
Canada
Chicago
Down East (Maine)
East Coast Italian American
Iowa
Irish
Kentucky
Latino/Latina
Long Island
Mississippi
Nebraska
New Orleans
New Zealand
Orange County
Pittsburgh
South Africa
South Carolina
Southern Florida
St. Louis
Texas
Upper Peninsula
Utah
WASP
Wyoming
Yiddish/Jewish
Native American

	True / Agree	Mostly True / Mostly agree	Mostly False / Mostly disagree	False / Disagree
The rules that apply to written English also apply to spoken English.
Some non-mainstream varieties of English (Appalachian English, African-American English) are grammatically simpler than Standard English.
In careful speech, letters should not be deleted at the ends of words.
Speaking English properly is a matter of education and care.
The English spoken today has degenerated from Shakespeare's English.
If in the U.S. everyone spoke the same American English, we would get along better.
Street signs, information signs in public places, and government documents should be in English only.
People who wish to move to the U.S. and stay should be required to demonstrate basic English language skills.
Freedom of Speech applies only to what you have to say, not how you say it.
In disagreements about how a word is pronounced, the dictionary should decide.
In disagreement about how a word is pronounced, the spelling of the word should decide.
More educated people speak a better English.
More educated people are better at winning arguments.
Official language of a state or country should be the language of the majority.
Bilingualism is generally a good thing.
Most countries have one official language.
When talking on the phone to a stranger, I can usually tell if that person is African-American
When speaking on the phone to a stranger, I can usually tell if that person is Latino/Latina
Multiculturalism is a fashion that will pass.
I could change my accent if I really wanted to.
The person who owns a company has the right to turn away a job applicant if his or her accent is disagreeable.
In colleges, only native speakers of English should be allowed to teach.

	I am positively inclined toward the speaker.	I am negatively inclined toward the speaker.	I am neither positively nor negatively inclined.	I'm not familiar with that accent.
Arabic
Brazilian
Chinese
Cuban
Dutch
Flemish
Greek
Guatamalan
Haitian
Hebrew
Icelandic
Japan
Kenyan
Philippino
Poland
Portuguese
Puerto Rican
Romanian
Russian
Scandinavian
South African
Spanish
Thai
Welsh

	I'd be interested in participation in other surveys or polls on this subject. Please put me on the email notification list.
	I'd like to receive information about the findings of this survey by email.
	I'd like to be notified when the drawing has taken place.
	Please send me occasional emails about this study of language use in the United States.

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second choice

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