Dialects
"What is a dialect? A dialect is any variety of a language spoken by a specific community of people. Most languages have many dialects," but linguists do not consider one language or dialect to be superior to another.
"The Sci.Lang FAQ: 9-14" http://www.zompist.com/lang9.html#12
According to Merriam-Webster.com "Vernacular" is "a dialect native to a region" and may be considered "non-standard" while the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as "native" or "natural" or "indigenous," a "dialect naturally spoken" ("Vernacular").
Resources
IDEA International Dialects of English http://www.dialectsarchive.com/
"North American Dialects Based on Pronunciation Patterns" http://aschmann.net/AmEng/
"Dialect Map of American English." http://robertspage.com/dialects.html
"American Dialects Links." http://www.evolpub.com/Americandialects/AmDialLnx.html
American Dialect Society. http://www.americandialect.org
Dictionary of American Regional English. http://www.dare.wisc.edu
"Dialect Survey Maps and Results." http://www4.uwm.edu/FLL/linguistics/dialect/maps.html
"Do You Speak American?" http://www.pbs.org/speak
"Sounds of the South." http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/southern/sounds
"A Glossary of Quaint Southernisms." www.alphadictionary.com/articles/southernese.html
"A Quick Lesson on Southern Linguistics. " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNqY6ftqGq0
"Yankees Guess Southern Slang" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-_4-Ii5opA