AP Ch 9: Dialectal Variation

Dialect: a variation of speech or language based on geographic area, language background, social, ethnic, age, gender, and context

• Generally affects syntax (grammatical rules, vocabulary, and phonology)

• NOT substandard versions of our language, communication DIFFERENCES

• How to tell dialect vs disorder

  • Check background

  • Show them the “correct” way to say something. If they can replicate it easily, it’s most likely a dialect (disorders, since they are associated with brain functioning, are generally harder to correct)

Standard American English (SAE)

• Relatively devoid of regional and social characteristics

• Formal: written form of SAE

• Informal: verbal form of SAE (slang, bad grammar)

Socialect: dialect associated with a particular social class

Ethnolect: dialect associated with a particular ethnic class

Vernacular dialect: nonstandard speaker of English’s dialect; the ones displayed below are generalizations of dialects

• Southern American English

  • Diphthongs produced as monophthongs

  • Vowel changes & substitutions

  • Y’all, fixin, aint

• African American English

  • Final sound deletion (particularly on stops and nasals)

  • Substitutions

  • Derhotacization

  • Deletion of alveolar stops

  • Reduced consonant clusters

English Language Learners

• Phonology of first language will influence their pronunciation of their second language

• Give a test in their native language (with interpreters)

• Sometimes dynamic testing is helpful (test, teach, test) to determine if its dialect or disorder