About the Journal

A Quarterly of Linguistic Usage published on behalf of the American Dialect Society.

American Speech has been one of the foremost publications in its field since its founding in 1925. The journal is concerned principally with the English language in the Western Hemisphere, although articles dealing with English in other parts of the world, the influence of other languages by or on English, and linguistic theory are also published. The journal is not committed to any particular theoretical framework, and issues often contain contributions that appeal to a readership wider than the linguistic studies community. Regular features include a book review section and a “Miscellany” section devoted to brief essays and notes.

Annual membership in the American Dialect Society includes a subscription to American Speech as well as the society’s annual monograph series, Publication of the American Dialect Society (PADS). Members also receive electronic access to all back issues of American Speech and PADS at read.dukeupress.edu (AS 2000–; PADS 1944–) and JSTOR (AS 1925–1999, via membership authentication).