Although English is considered one language, there are many regional varieties called dialects spoken throughout the world. Although these dialects are mutually intelligible to English speakers, they are quite different. For example, British English is significantly different from American English. British speakers pronounce words differently and use different vocabulary. Some words and phrases have different meanings in American English than in British English. An example is the word “bathroom”. If an American asked where the bathroom is in a British home, he or she might be sent to a room with a bathtub and no toilet, which is probably not what the American wanted. In some cases the two dialects may also differ in grammar. For example, "gotten" is considered correct in American English, but "got" is used in British English. Dialects, however, do not just differ depending on the country. Within a single country there can be many dialects. In the United States, you can usually tell whether a person is from the South, East, West, or Midwest by the way they speak. Regional dialects exist within states and even within cities. Each dialect has its own phonological and syntactic patterns, as well as a unique vocabulary. Analyzing dialects can be difficult due to the fact that it is difficult to transcribe the pronunciation of a single dialect because English is not written the same way it is pronounced. Additionally, one person's interpretation of the spelling of a dialect may not match that of another person, so the reader may not “hear” the dialect correctly. Regardless, written versions of dialects are essential for discussing dialectical differences. Sometimes, when an author wants to emphasize the fact that a c...... middle of the paper ......lects. The reason this is possible may date back to the early stages of language acquisition. Even if we learn to speak English in a particular way, our brains retain the ability to understand spoken English in hundreds, if not thousands of different ways. Works Cited Class Notes. December 6, 2010.Clark, Virginia P., Paul A. Eschholz, and Alfred F. Rosa. Language: introductory readings. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. Print.—. Language: readings in language and culture. 6th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. Print.Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, and Nina Hyams. An introduction to the language. 8th ed. Boston: Thomson, 2007. Lee, Marnie. "Joseph's Yorkshire Dialect in Wuthering Heights." Associated Content. Yahoo!, May 4, 2010. Web. December 12, 2010. "Understanding Joseph's Speech." The reader's guide to Wuthering Heights. Network. December 12. 2010.