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3 Episodes 2005 - 2005
Episode 1
Wed, Jan 5, 2005 60 mins
A three-part linguistic tour of the U.S., conducted by veteran TV newsman Robert MacNeil, who probed the English language's role in the world in the 1986 PBS series "The Story of English." American English is "restless, slangy, constantly changing," says MacNeil, who begins Part 1 in Maine, wondering why Down Easters say "ayuh" instead of "yes." He then visits Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh before heading to the Midwest to explore both "standard" and black English.
Episode 2
Wed, Jan 5, 2005 60 mins
Robert MacNeil visits the South in Part 2, listening to everything from Appalachian folk tales to "Texas talk." More Americans are "speaking country," as country singer Cody James (an Oregon native) puts it, as the Sun Belt population grows, and MacNeil hears colorful examples of it from comedian Jeff Foxworthy. MacNeill also samples Louisiana's Cajun culture, then crosses into Texas, where English can be "spicy," says journalist Molly Ivins---and where Spanish is more and more prevalent.
Episode 3
Wed, Jan 5, 2005 60 mins
Robert MacNeil concludes his three-part linguistic tour of the U.S. on the West Coast, where he listens to valley girls and surfer dudes, Chicanos, blacks, gays and computers (not to mention one snowboarder who uses the word "like" 13 times in one 74-word sound bite). Summing up, the 73-year-old MacNeil thinks "the American language" has a bright future, adding: "And like, how cool is that?"