Culture of the United States

This article very generally discusses the customs and culture of the United States; for the "culture" of the United States, see arts and entertainment in the United States.

Language

Main article: Languages in the United States

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The primary, although not official, language of the United States is English, of the subtype termed American English. Other major languages are Spanish (because of the proximity of and immigration from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America, as well as the cultural crossover of the borderlands), Hawaiian, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and to a certain extent French (primarily in far north New England, due to the Acadian-Canadian influence, and in Louisiana). There are more than 300 languages besides English which can claim native speakers in the United States--some of which are spoken by the indigenous peoples (about 150 living languages) and others which were imported by immigrants. Homegrown creoles include Gullah and Cajun, both spoken in the southeastern United States. Deaf people and their affiliates primarily communicate via American Sign Language.

Related Topics:
Language of the United States - English - American English - Spanish - Mexico - Hawaiian - Korean - Chinese - Vietnamese - Tagalog - French - Acadian-Canadian - Gullah - Cajun - American Sign Language

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The demographics of the United States illustrate why American English is largely rhotic; the letter "R" is pronounced in most words with that letter, which may be due to large-scale immigration from Britain in the 1600s when the English spoken throughout Great Britain was still rhotic. During this time, the King James Version of the Bible was written, and is referred to as such in the United States, not the "authorized version." Possibly also as a result of cultural diaspora stemming to the 1600s, is that various King James Version phrases, as well as the words of Shakespeare and the British units of measure, still resonate for many Americans.

Related Topics:
Demographics of the United States - American English - Rhotic - Britain - 1600s - King James Version of the Bible - United States - Shakespeare - British units of measure

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There are four major regional dialects in the United States--northeastern, south, inland north and midlands. The midlands accent (considered the "standard accent" in the United States, and analogous in some respects to the received pronunciation elsewhere in the English-speaking world) extends from what were once the "Middle Colonies" across the Midwest to the Pacific states.

Related Topics:
Dialects - Midlands accent - Received pronunciation - Middle Colonies

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