Philadelphia English or Delaware Valley English is a variety or dialect of American English native to Philadelphia and extending throughout the city's metropolitan area, including southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, counties of northern Delaware (especially New Castle and Kent), and the north Eastern Shore of Maryland. The dialect is also spoken in such cities as Camden, Wilmington, Reading, Vineland, Atlantic City, and Dover. Philadelphia English is one of the best-studied varieties of English,[1] as Philadelphia's University of Pennsylvania was the home institution of pioneering sociolinguist William Labov. Philadelphia English shares certain features with New York City English and Midland American English. Philadelphia and Baltimore accents fall under what Labov described as a single Mid-Atlantic dialect, encompassing the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
According to linguist Barbara Johnstone, migration patterns and geography affected the dialect's development, which was influenced by immigrants from Northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.[citation needed] Today, a marked or "heavier" Philadelphia accent is most commonly found in Irish-American and Italian-American working-class neighborhoods, though the accent is found throughout the Delaware Valley in all socioeconomic levels.
- ^ Dayib, Najma (November 27, 2018). "From 'wooder' to 'cawfee,' this Penn prof. breaks down the evolving Philadelphia dialect". The Daily Pennsylvanian. Retrieved February 7, 2025.