Chapter 10: Language Variation

Bidialectal

having mastered two dialects.

Registers

different levels of speech formality (Formal, informal, casual, etc)

Jargon

is clearly understood by those within the field in which it is spoken, but is incomprehensible to outsiders.

Mutual intelligibility

if speakers of one language variety can understand speakers of another language variety.

Dialectologists

people who study regional dialects.

sequences of sounds

Differences are also found depending on what are allowed.

Idiolect

the speech habits that are unique to a particular person.

Sociolinguistics

the study of the relationship between language varieties and social structure as well as the interrelationships among different language varieties.

Isoglosses

lines that mark the geographic boundaries of linguistic form.

Overt prestige

attached to a particular variety by the community at large and defines how people should speak in order to gain status in the wider community.

Covert prestige

exists among members of nonstandard- speaking communities and defines how people should speak in order to gain status in the wider community.

Style shifting

automatically adjusting from one speech style to another.

Signals of identity

through language can be overt or subtle.

Speech styles

systematic variations in speech based on factors such as topic, setting, and addressee.

ethnic communities

Ethnicity influences variation in multi- .

Standard American English

the standard dialect in the United States.

Prescriptive standard

the standard by which people often make judgements of "right "and "wrong.

Jargon

technical words that differ only in lexical items that are specific to a job, field of study, sport, etc.