Crossing the line: Effect of border representation in perceptual dialectology

• Published in: Journal of linguistic geography Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 67 - 75
• Main Authors: Benson, Erica J., Williams, Anneli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Cambridge University Press 01.10.2022
• Subjects: Boundaries; Dialectology; Dialects; Influence; Map task; Perceptions; Regional dialects; Regions; Respondents; Topography; United States > US; Tennessee
• ISSN: 2049-7547; 2049-7547
• DOI: 10.1017/jlg.2022.3

Abstract This study investigates the effect of differing representations of state boundaries on the draw-a-map task in perceptual dialectology in a region of the United States. The typical draw-a-map survey instrument represents state borders with solid lines. Would respondents react differently to maps with dashed-line state borders? More specifically, would respondents draw more dialect areas that cross state lines on maps with dashed-line state borders versus solid-line state borders? These questions are explored through two datasets, and similarities and differences emerge. For example, respondents of both map types draw more single-state dialect areas than multistate dialect areas, and respondents with dashed-line maps draw more dialect areas on average than respondents with solid state maps. While dataset 1 showed a significant association between map type and multistate dialect area with respondents using dashed-line border maps drawing more multistate dialect areas than respondents with solid-line maps, H (1) = 5.13, P = .017, this association was not significant in dataset 2, H (1) = .06, P = .798.