About the film
American Tongues is a 1988 sociolinguistic documentary by Andrew Kolker that examines American English dialects, accents, and the ways people perceive them. Kolker and Louis Alvarez are credited as directors. The film is from the United States and is presented in English.
Its central topic makes language variation the main subject, with attention not only to how American English sounds but also to reactions and judgments surrounding different forms of speech. Classified as a documentary film, it offers a nonfiction examination of linguistic differences through a specifically sociolinguistic lens. The 1988 release places it in that decade’s documentary work.
The official reference is an English Wikipedia page, which identifies the film and its subject. Viewers can use the listed language, country, directors, and topic to determine whether this exploration of American speech communities fits a class, research interest, or personal curiosity about accents.
Who it is for
It suits students, teachers, and viewers interested in American English dialects, accents, and language perceptions. English-speaking audiences can approach it as a sociolinguistic documentary from the United States.
Worth knowing
- Examines American English dialects
- Covers accents and perceptions
- Directed by Andrew Kolker and Louis Alvarez
- English-language documentary
- 1988 sociolinguistic focus
Before you press play
- Released in 1988
- Focus is limited to American English
The short of it
American Tongues gives language variation a clear documentary focus, linking dialects and accents with social perception. Its English-language, United States setting makes the subject especially direct for viewers studying American speech.