American regional English, mapped
Dialect words, regional slang, and local sayings from every US state — with meanings, examples, and a map. Free, no signup.
NEW WORDS
REGIONAL ENGLISH
Southern, Midwestern, New England, Cajun, Pittsburgh, Appalachian — every part of the country has its own regional vocabulary. On Dialectly each word is tied to states, cities, and a point on the map, so you can read dialect not as a flat list but as a living portrait of a place.
Browse by regionWHAT DO YOU CALL IT?
Some everyday words change completely from one region to the next. Is a carbonated drink a soda, a pop, or a coke? It depends entirely on where you grew up — and the map is sharper than you would think.
FAQ
What is Dialectly?
Dialectly is a free open dictionary of American regional English: dialect words, regional slang, and local sayings from across all fifty states, each with a meaning, examples, and a map of where it is actually used.
What is a regional or dialect word?
A word, phrase, or pronunciation that is used in one part of the country but not in the standard variety of American English. Examples: "y'all" (Southern), "jawn" (Philadelphia), "lagniappe" (Louisiana), "wicked" used as an intensifier (New England).
Which regions are covered?
Every state, the District of Columbia, plus cultural sub-regions that cross state lines: Appalachia, Cajun Country, the Deep South, New England, and the Pacific Northwest. Major cities (Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Boston, NYC, Chicago) have their own city-level entries.
How do I look up a word or browse a state?
Use the search bar at the top, or open a state page from /regions. Each word page shows the meaning, the type (slang, dialect word, phrase, regionalism, or loanword), the states and cities where it is used, and a map.
Can I cite or reuse the data?
Yes. All public pages are open for reading and citation. Machine-readable JSON endpoints and an index are available — see /llms.txt.
ABOUT
Save the way America actually talks
Dialectly collects the words, phrases, and pronunciations that mark someone as being from a place — the kind of vocabulary that holds together better in family kitchens than in textbooks. Browse, learn, and watch the country in language.
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