The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture

“Thorough and far-reaching, yet ultimately accessible. . . . Contains an incredible amount of cultural, historical, and social information pulled together into a comprehensive overview of language use in the American South.” — North Carolina Historical Review

“Effectively debunks simplistic and erroneously homogenizing notions. . . . The editors did not shy away from potentially problematic issues. . . . A handy and useful reference on this important issue of language in the South.” — Louisiana History

“A good starting point to researching the languages and dialects found in the South.” — American Reference Books Annual

“Tackles the complex and diverse field of Southern language and dialects. . . . A very readable and enjoyable survey.” — Larry McGehee, Southern Seen

“A must-have for any educated Southerner. . . . You'll come away with a whole new perspective on your roots.” — DEEP

“An excellent book that describes languages in the South, even those not commonly known to exist or to have existed; for example, descriptions of indigenous languages that do not belong to identified Native American Language families. . . . A complex picture of many different southerners speaking a variety of languages and dialects.” — The Journal of Mississippi History

“Some entries straighten out longstanding confusion about how southerners use the language; others illuminate fascinating new topics; all are scholarly and authoritative, yet completely accessible. The introductory essay alone is worth the price.” — John Shelton Reed, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

“This volume offers a comprehensive treatment of the origins and varieties of the myriad languages of the South. I now finally understand why as a native Floridian I say 'red bug' while my colleagues from North Carolina say 'chigger.' An intriguing account of why southerners speak the way they do.” — Anne Rowe, Florida State University