Dialects, Cultural Diversity & English Language Learners

This set covers vocabulary related to dialects, cultural definitions, ASHA position statements, and English Language Learner processes as presented in the Chapter 8 lecture notes.

Dialect

A neutral label for any variety of a language shared by a group of speakers — no good or bad dialects exist.

Standard English

A dialect of American English divided into Formal (written/grammar texts) and informal forms.

Vernacular Dialects

Varieties of spoken American English considered outside the continuum of Informal Standard English.

Regional Dialect

Dialects that correspond to geographical locations, with four major regions in the U.S.: North, South, Midland, and West.

Social Dialect

Dialects generally related to the socioeconomic status of the speaker community.

Ethnic Dialect

Dialects defined according to the race, culture, or ethnicity of a group.

Appalachian / Ozark

Regional vernacular dialects with specific phonological and grammatical features.

Race

A biological label defined in terms of observable physical features and biological characteristics.

Culture

A way of life developed by a group to meet psychosocial needs, values, norms, beliefs, attitudes, behavioral styles, and traditions.

Ethnicity

Refers to commonalities such as religion, nationality, and region.

African American Vernacular English (AAVE)

A systematic, rule-governed dialect also called Black English or African American English; it is a complete, functional dialect and not a disorder.

ASHA’s Official Position (2003)

States that no dialectal variety of American English is a disorder or pathological form of speech; each is a symbolic representation of geographic, historical, social, and cultural background.

Interference / Transfer

A normal, expected process of incorporating features of the native language (L1) into the new language (L2) based on similarity.

Silent Period

A normal stage in L2 acquisition where a child speaks very little while focusing on understanding the new language.

Code Switching / Mixing

A normal developmental and social process of alternating between L1 and L2 (or between AAVE and SAE) within or between phrases.

LEP Students

Students not born in the U.S. or whose native language is not English, where difficulties compromise academic achievement in English-medium classrooms.

Spanish (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges including dental fricatives / θ, ð / and final consonant clusters.

Vietnamese (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges including restricted final consonant types and tonal distinctions.

Korean (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges involving vowel distinctions and final consonant differences.

Cantonese (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges including a tonal system and final consonant clusters.

Filipino / Tagalog (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges involving specific vowel and consonant contrasts.

Hmong (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges including a highly tonal system and a very different consonant inventory.

Arabic (ESL Challenges)

Phonological challenges involving different phoneme inventory and syllable structure differences.