Phonological Variation & Dialectal Origins: A Study of Irish Gaeltacht and American English Dialects
Mentor/s
Dr. Caitlin Ross
Participation Type
Poster
Abstract
While studying abroad in Dingle, Ireland, I took a social and cultural linguistics class that sparked my interest in how dialects differ—especially between Irish Gaelic in the Gaeltacht regions and various American English dialects. This project explores how these dialects have developed their unique phonological features over time, and the historical and social factors that helped shape them.
As a future speech-language pathologist, I wanted to understand why recognizing these differences matters in clinical settings. Too often, dialectal variations are mistaken for speech disorders. My research emphasizes the importance of cultural and linguistic awareness in SLP work, and how we can better advocate for clients.
College and Major available
Communication Disorders, Speech-Language Pathology MS
Academic Level
Graduate student
Location
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
Start Day/Time
4-25-2025 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-25-2025 2:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Phonological Variation & Dialectal Origins: A Study of Irish Gaeltacht and American English Dialects
Digital Commons & West Campus West Building University Commons
While studying abroad in Dingle, Ireland, I took a social and cultural linguistics class that sparked my interest in how dialects differ—especially between Irish Gaelic in the Gaeltacht regions and various American English dialects. This project explores how these dialects have developed their unique phonological features over time, and the historical and social factors that helped shape them.
As a future speech-language pathologist, I wanted to understand why recognizing these differences matters in clinical settings. Too often, dialectal variations are mistaken for speech disorders. My research emphasizes the importance of cultural and linguistic awareness in SLP work, and how we can better advocate for clients.
Students' Information
Bridget Hosey: Speech-Language Pathology MS 3-year track
Year of Graduation: 2027
Honors Student