Chapter 2- Languages, Dialects, and Varieties

Variety

Neutral term for dialect; way of speaking that consists of linguistic elements that have social or regional distribution in common. Found in every languauge

Dialect

Regional variety of language, often regarded as non-prestigious

Dialect continua

Geographic chains of variety where difference is correlated with difference

Transition zones

Regions between specific regions of the continuum where there is a diffusion or mixture of features and forms from either side

Dialect vs. accent

Dialect: difference in grammar and lexicon

Accent: difference in pronunciation (phonetics & phonology)

Patois

A dialect that doesn’t have a writing system

Isogloss

lines on a dialect map that show boundaries of dialect features

Isogloss bundle/dialect boundary

Where several isoglosses collide

Social dialect/sociolect

Dialect based on social class, ethnicity, religion, urban-rural status, age, etc. Age, sex, and social class are the most prominent influences on social dialect

Sociodialectology

The study of the intersection of regional and social variation

Standardization

Codification of a language through language, grammars, dictionaries, literature, etc. Requires a general agreement about what is and isn’t the language. Sftandards are usually seen as more leite and are spoken in capital cities

Vitality

Relative stability of language, including gain/loss of speakers, domains of use, etc. Can distinguish dead languages from living ones

Historicity

The association of language with ethnic identity and cultural history / cultural importance of a language to its speakers

Autonomy

The extent to which a language is felt to be different from others by its speakers

Reduction

How respected different versions of a language are in different social contexts

Mixture

Relative purity of language, how much the vocab has been influenced by other languages

De facto norms

Attitudes around proper usage of the language, as well as good and bad varieties of speakers

Codificatrion

Development of grammars and dictionaries of a language

Elaboration

The use of a standardized language in literature, courts, education, etc.

Style-shifting

A speaker’s ability to shift between a repertoire of styles depending on the social situation

Register

Sets of language items associated with occupational or social groups (vocational). Surgeons will have a different register than pilots

Production & perception of varieties

It is harder to produce different accents/dialects than to perceive them

Dialect divergence

As speech communities become larger and migrate, different varieties of the language will be created and eventually create new languages