American English Dialect Recordings
The Center for Applied Linguistics Collection contains 118 hours of recordings documenting North American English dialects. The recordings include speech samples, linguistic interviews, oral histories, conversations, and excerpts from public speeches. They were drawn from various archives, and from the private collections of fifty collectors, including linguists, dialectologists, and folklorists.
View this collection on the Library of Congress website
Download files in bulk
A set of 4389 audio samples have been automatically generated from this collection for use in your favorite music production software. It contains 293 audio segments and 4096 one-shot audio clips, ideal for use in samplers.
- Download in 192 Kbps .mp3 format (111.8mb) - Ideal if you would just like to preview and browse this collection
- Download in 16-bit .wav format (505.3mb) - Ideal for production
Rights & access
The sound recordings from this collection that are part of the Citizen DJ project are free to use and reuse. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the works, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress asks that artists approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here. Artists are also reminded that privacy and publicity rights may pertain to certain uses of this material. Attribution is recommended but not required.
Why is this free to use?
The Center for Applied Linguistics donated the recordings to the Library of Congress in 1986. Although these recordings came with no releases, permissions research was undertaken by Library staff as part of their work to make this collection available online. Citizen DJ includes only those interviews where there was written permission given to the Library by the interviewee.
Suggested credit line
Citizen DJ Project, Center for Applied Linguistics collection (AFC 1986/022), American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
Browse & preview files
Click the files below to preview the audio segments:
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Conversation with 10 year old black female, Washington, DC
- Excerpt starting at 04:18
- Excerpt starting at 05:36
- Excerpt starting at 05:57
- Excerpt starting at 06:41
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Conversation with 11 year old black female, Washington, DC
- Excerpt starting at 07:16
- Excerpt starting at 07:31
- Excerpt starting at 07:37
- Excerpt starting at 08:49
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Conversation with 12 year old black female, Washington, DC
- Excerpt starting at 01:22
- Excerpt starting at 02:58
- Excerpt starting at 03:12
- Excerpt starting at 05:44
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Conversation with 12 year old male, Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 01:46
- Excerpt starting at 02:59
- Excerpt starting at 12:26
- Excerpt starting at 13:15
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Conversation with 12 year old white female, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 02:46
- Excerpt starting at 08:56
- Excerpt starting at 16:42
- Excerpt starting at 17:13
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Conversation with 12 year old white female, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 05:20
- Excerpt starting at 10:16
- Excerpt starting at 10:51
- Excerpt starting at 11:05
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Conversation with 12 year old white female, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 05:17
- Excerpt starting at 05:23
- Excerpt starting at 21:04
- Excerpt starting at 23:02
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Conversation with 13 year old male, Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 01:32
- Excerpt starting at 01:45
- Excerpt starting at 09:40
- Excerpt starting at 12:11
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Conversation with 13 year old male, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 03:05
- Excerpt starting at 03:56
- Excerpt starting at 04:52
- Excerpt starting at 07:48
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Conversation with 13 year old white male, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 07:13
- Excerpt starting at 13:10
- Excerpt starting at 23:52
- Excerpt starting at 24:54
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Conversation with 13 year old white male, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 00:39
- Excerpt starting at 00:48
- Excerpt starting at 01:41
- Excerpt starting at 07:49
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Conversation with 14 year old black female, Washington, DC
- Excerpt starting at 01:49
- Excerpt starting at 02:31
- Excerpt starting at 03:56
- Excerpt starting at 05:24
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Conversation with 14 year old black male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 05:30
- Excerpt starting at 09:08
- Excerpt starting at 10:38
- Excerpt starting at 11:24
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Conversation with 15 year old male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 02:10
- Excerpt starting at 05:09
- Excerpt starting at 08:32
- Excerpt starting at 11:43
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Conversation with 15 year old male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 16:34
- Excerpt starting at 17:20
- Excerpt starting at 17:39
- Excerpt starting at 18:35
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Conversation with 16 year old black female, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 04:58
- Excerpt starting at 18:20
- Excerpt starting at 26:08
- Excerpt starting at 27:43
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Conversation with 16 year old white female, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 07:02
- Excerpt starting at 16:15
- Excerpt starting at 17:19
- Excerpt starting at 19:18
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Conversation with 17 year old male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 01:46
- Excerpt starting at 02:02
- Excerpt starting at 05:34
- Excerpt starting at 05:59
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Conversation with 17 year old male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 03:52
- Excerpt starting at 06:13
- Excerpt starting at 09:38
- Excerpt starting at 12:40
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Conversation with 17 year old male, Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 00:04
- Excerpt starting at 12:55
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Conversation with 18 year old black male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 02:49
- Excerpt starting at 05:35
- Excerpt starting at 06:42
- Excerpt starting at 09:42
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Conversation with 23 year old white male, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 11:35
- Excerpt starting at 16:38
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Conversation with 24 year old male, Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 08:49
- Excerpt starting at 09:11
- Excerpt starting at 10:17
- Excerpt starting at 10:31
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Conversation with 27 year old white female, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 00:15
- Excerpt starting at 01:48
- Excerpt starting at 05:42
- Excerpt starting at 09:44
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Conversation with 30 year old white male, Pettigrew,Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 11:07
- Excerpt starting at 17:15
- Excerpt starting at 18:06
- Excerpt starting at 21:12
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Conversation with 31 year old black female, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 06:58
- Excerpt starting at 08:27
- Excerpt starting at 20:33
- Excerpt starting at 20:53
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Conversation with 32 year old black female, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 01:37
- Excerpt starting at 10:29
- Excerpt starting at 20:31
- Excerpt starting at 21:18
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Conversation with 39 year old male, Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 03:37
- Excerpt starting at 07:01
- Excerpt starting at 07:46
- Excerpt starting at 14:06
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Conversation with 41 year old black male, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 01:11
- Excerpt starting at 02:23
- Excerpt starting at 05:12
- Excerpt starting at 05:45
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Conversation with 41 year old black male, Detroit, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 17:53
- Excerpt starting at 19:15
- Excerpt starting at 21:26
- Excerpt starting at 27:22
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Conversation with 45 year old male, Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 05:15
- Excerpt starting at 08:19
- Excerpt starting at 08:27
- Excerpt starting at 14:47
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Conversation with 50 year old white male, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 04:31
- Excerpt starting at 05:15
- Excerpt starting at 14:02
- Excerpt starting at 16:44
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Conversation with 52 year old white male and acquaintances, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 00:16
- Excerpt starting at 03:04
- Excerpt starting at 05:08
- Excerpt starting at 06:46
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Conversation with 59 year old white male, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 00:02
- Excerpt starting at 00:07
- Excerpt starting at 06:22
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Conversation with 60 year old white male, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 02:02
- Excerpt starting at 05:04
- Excerpt starting at 10:36
- Excerpt starting at 12:10
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Conversation with 67 year old white male, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 00:19
- Excerpt starting at 06:15
- Excerpt starting at 06:22
- Excerpt starting at 10:01
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Conversation with 76 year old white female, West Virginia
- Excerpt starting at 09:23
- Excerpt starting at 11:04
- Excerpt starting at 13:54
- Excerpt starting at 14:51
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Conversation with 91 year old male and 77 year old female, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 12:47
- Excerpt starting at 15:23
- Excerpt starting at 16:23
- Excerpt starting at 16:54
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Interview with 15 year old male, New York, New York
- Excerpt starting at 02:22
- Excerpt starting at 02:57
- Excerpt starting at 06:55
- Excerpt starting at 13:49
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Interview with 65 year old white male, Mountain Rest, South Carolina (part 2 of 3)
- Excerpt starting at 01:39
- Excerpt starting at 04:25
- Excerpt starting at 04:35
- Excerpt starting at 08:50
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Interview with 65 year old white male, Mountain Rest, South Carolina (part 3 of 3)
- Excerpt starting at 07:37
- Excerpt starting at 09:20
- Excerpt starting at 12:54
- Excerpt starting at 16:26
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Oral history with Wayne Aspinall, Colorado.
- Excerpt starting at 00:03
- Excerpt starting at 00:25
- Excerpt starting at 00:43
- Excerpt starting at 08:47
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Oral history with 83 year old female, Colorado
- Excerpt starting at 01:18
- Excerpt starting at 01:45
- Excerpt starting at 03:19
- Excerpt starting at 03:46
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Oral history with 85 year old white male, Montrose, Colorado
- Excerpt starting at 07:21
- Excerpt starting at 08:29
- Excerpt starting at 09:03
- Excerpt starting at 15:17
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Oral history with 54 year old black female, Grand Junction, Colorado; and a 61 year old black female
- Excerpt starting at 01:07
- Excerpt starting at 11:49
- Excerpt starting at 13:19
- Excerpt starting at 18:23
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Oral history with 64 year old white male, Concord, Massachusetts
- Excerpt starting at 02:40
- Excerpt starting at 08:27
- Excerpt starting at 13:19
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Oral history with 71 year old male, Kentucky
- Excerpt starting at 02:12
- Excerpt starting at 02:31
- Excerpt starting at 02:52
- Excerpt starting at 29:58
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Oral history with 72 year old white female, Concord, Massachusetts
- Excerpt starting at 00:22
- Excerpt starting at 06:25
- Excerpt starting at 07:52
- Excerpt starting at 14:07
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Oral history with 73 year old male, Concord, Massachusetts
- Excerpt starting at 10:00
- Excerpt starting at 12:39
- Excerpt starting at 18:47
- Excerpt starting at 21:36
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Oral history with 73 year old male, Meeker County, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 04:53
- Excerpt starting at 06:20
- Excerpt starting at 10:33
- Excerpt starting at 16:59
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Oral history with 74 year old white male, Mesa County City, Colorado.
- Excerpt starting at 02:53
- Excerpt starting at 10:42
- Excerpt starting at 13:31
- Excerpt starting at 14:52
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Oral history with 77 year old female, Grand Junction, Colorado
- Excerpt starting at 04:57
- Excerpt starting at 06:20
- Excerpt starting at 12:54
- Excerpt starting at 14:18
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Oral history with 80 year old white male, Marked Tree, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 03:25
- Excerpt starting at 21:35
- Excerpt starting at 27:05
- Excerpt starting at 30:17
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Oral history with 81 year old male, Jackson, Kentucky
- Excerpt starting at 02:16
- Excerpt starting at 04:25
- Excerpt starting at 10:31
- Excerpt starting at 13:26
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Oral history with 82 year old female, Fruita, Colorado.
- Excerpt starting at 04:24
- Excerpt starting at 05:55
- Excerpt starting at 10:49
- Excerpt starting at 11:34
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Oral history with 84 year old black female, Joiner, Arkansas
- Excerpt starting at 07:53
- Excerpt starting at 19:20
- Excerpt starting at 22:35
- Excerpt starting at 25:30
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Oral history with 85 year old white female, Concord, Massachusetts
- Excerpt starting at 10:42
- Excerpt starting at 15:42
- Excerpt starting at 17:32
- Excerpt starting at 17:41
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Oral history with 85 year old white female, Mesa County, Colorado
- Excerpt starting at 10:15
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Oral history with 88 year old white male, Fruita, Colorado.
- Excerpt starting at 04:21
- Excerpt starting at 06:18
- Excerpt starting at 08:38
- Excerpt starting at 09:55
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Oral history with 89 year old male, Whick, Kentucky
- Excerpt starting at 02:42
- Excerpt starting at 07:16
- Excerpt starting at 09:28
- Excerpt starting at 18:24
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Oral history with 89 year old white male, Mesa County, Colorado
- Excerpt starting at 18:36
- Excerpt starting at 29:32
- Excerpt starting at 29:52
- Excerpt starting at 30:02
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Oral history with 92 year old white male, Concord, Massachusetts
- Excerpt starting at 00:49
- Excerpt starting at 10:55
- Excerpt starting at 12:25
- Excerpt starting at 13:49
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Oral history with male and female, Pine Ridge, Kentucky
- Excerpt starting at 00:04
- Excerpt starting at 02:34
- Excerpt starting at 08:57
- Excerpt starting at 13:56
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Personal history and reading by 49 year old white female, Texas
- Excerpt starting at 00:27
- Excerpt starting at 00:56
- Excerpt starting at 01:05
- Excerpt starting at 01:16
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Personal history with 55 year old female, Chisholm, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 01:31
- Excerpt starting at 07:55
- Excerpt starting at 08:26
- Excerpt starting at 10:02
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Personal history with 66 year old male, Buhl, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 08:55
- Excerpt starting at 14:51
- Excerpt starting at 15:28
- Excerpt starting at 25:32
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Personal history with 70 year old male and 77 year old female, Utica, Minnesota (part 2 of 2)
- Excerpt starting at 02:54
- Excerpt starting at 06:56
- Excerpt starting at 08:55
- Excerpt starting at 09:30
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Personal history with 87 year old male, Chisholm, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 00:32
- Excerpt starting at 01:48
- Excerpt starting at 03:12
- Excerpt starting at 06:47
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Personal history with 88 year old male, Eveleth, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 00:29
- Excerpt starting at 01:37
- Excerpt starting at 03:05
- Excerpt starting at 17:53
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Personal history with 88 year old male, Eveleth, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 00:34
- Excerpt starting at 09:39
- Excerpt starting at 10:00
- Excerpt starting at 11:50
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Personal history with male, Chisholm, Minnesota
- Excerpt starting at 00:19
- Excerpt starting at 01:21
- Excerpt starting at 06:33
- Excerpt starting at 15:58
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Reading samples of 22 year old white female, Wakefield, Michigan
- Excerpt starting at 01:30
- Excerpt starting at 02:40
- Excerpt starting at 04:40
- Excerpt starting at 04:49
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Speech by Amelia Earhart
- Excerpt starting at 03:21
- Excerpt starting at 03:52
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Speech by Eleanor A. Roosevelt, New York
- Excerpt starting at 01:15
- Excerpt starting at 04:04
- Excerpt starting at 04:56
- Excerpt starting at 10:56
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Speech by Fiorello H. La Guardia, New York
- Excerpt starting at 03:43
- Excerpt starting at 04:14
- Excerpt starting at 08:29
- Excerpt starting at 12:53
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Speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt, New York
- Excerpt starting at 03:24
- Excerpt starting at 04:30
- Excerpt starting at 05:28
- Excerpt starting at 06:06