Long long ago and in a land far far away ...
I used to wander over to the Library of Congress. Many folk don't realize that the LOC has maybe the best collection of recordings in the world and that they are available just like books for people to enjoy. Back then I was really interested in regional sounds and among the collections at the LOC were all the recordings that had been made in the 30's and 40's under WPA grants. They recorded regional voices, fold singing on the porch, story telling, comparisons of the same story as read by folk from area to area.. almost an unlimited area to explore.
There were about four of us who would drive down to spend a day listening to the records and tapes that were available. Often we'd spend hours listening to the same recording over and over simply lost in the nuances.
Many of the recordings are available these days online.
Anyone so limited that they can only spell a word one way is severely handicapped!