Do You Speak American?

Do You Speak American?

Title card from the three-part documentary, featuring co-author and host Robert MacNeil.
Distributed by PBS
Directed by William Cran
Produced by William Cran, Christopher Buchanan
Screenplay by William Cran & Robert MacNeil
Starring Robert MacNeil
Music by Paul Foss
Editing by Joe Frost
Production company Thirteen/WNET
Country United States
Language American
Release date
  • January 5, 2005[1]
Running time 180 minutes (3 episodes, 60 minutes each)
Do You Speak American?

The cover as seen on the hardback, first edition printing.
Author Robert MacNeil & William Cran
Language English
Genre Non-fiction
Publisher Nan A. Talese (hardback),
Mariner Books (paperback),
Nan A. Talese, Random House Digital, Inc. (E-book)
Publication date
December 28, 2004 (hardback),
November 14, 2005 (paperback),
December 18, 2007 (E-book)
Media type Print (hardback and paperback),
Digital (E-book)
Pages 240
ISBN ISBN 0-385-51198-1, ISBN 978-0-385-51198-8, ISBN 0-15-603288-0, ISBN 978-0-15-603288-9, ASIN B000XUAD2M

Do You Speak American? is a documentary film and accompanying book about journalist Robert MacNeil's investigation into how different people throughout the United States of America speak. The book and documentary look at the evolution of America's way of speaking from the English language to various ways of speaking in regions throughout the country. Divisions of ethnicity, geography and social status and how they affect how Americans communicate are addressed. As part of the project, MacNeil traveled across the country conducting interviews with ordinary people as well as experts such as William Labov.

In the United States, the documentary was broadcast in several parts on PBS. The companion book (ISBN 0-385-51198-1) was co-authored by MacNeil and William Cran.

References

  1. "Do You Speak American? About the Broadcast". PBS.com. Retrieved 16 November 2011.

External links