A recent issue of the New Yorker carried a brief story about William Labov’s Atlas of North American English. Labov “is often called the father of sociolinguistics” and his atlas charts “all of the major dialects spoken in the continental United States and Canada.” A teaser of the atlas is available on the web and includes interactive Flash maps and sound samples.

Another site, also with Labov’s involvement, displays more maps, including some regional ones (scroll to the bottom of the page). The quality and style of these maps, however, is inconsistent.

The atlas itself hasn’t been released yet but will be available for a mere $515 (U. S.).