“When I was a kid in South Shore, every one of my classmates spoke a version of English that linguistic experts would have instantly recognized as Chicagoan,” Sadock said. “Some people still speak that way, but it is no longer as widespread or as distinct as it was 70 years ago. Radio, TV, and the great mobility of modern Americans are gradually leveling all the various, colorful, local varieties of English in favor of a dull, neutral, standard American.”