Dialect

Dialect

Dialect is a subclass of language that is exclusive to a particular region or community. This includes variations in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar that differentiate it from other forms of the same language.

Continuum as dialectal landscape

The concept of dialectal variation is understood in relation to geographical areas where the same linguistic features are shared. This indicates that dialects are bounded within a specific region. However, an opposing view suggests that dialects form a continuum without clear boundaries. There are often significant differences in pronunciation and other language features, therefore the classifications are indefinable.

The landscape of dialects is described as a continuum. As Chambers et al. (1998) write, linguistic variation becomes apparent when a person travels from one place to another. These differences accumulate gradually and become more intense as one moves away from the initial point. Neighboring places typically comprehend each other's dialects, but those at the edges of the continuum will have difficulty comprehending each other as it corelates with the geographical distance.

Dialect and language

Dialect and language are two distinct terminologies. The term "language" has a superior position, while "dialect" is a subordinate term that is under the domain of language. Thus, the ideal analogy is "A is the dialect of language B" instead of "B is the language of dialect A."

Dialect and accent

Dialect and accent are distinct linguistic terminology

References

• Boga, H. I. (2020). What is a Language? What is a Dialect?.
• Linn, M. D. (2014). Dialect and language variation. Elsevie
• Van Rooy, R. (2020). Language or dialect?: The history of a conceptual pair. Oxford University Press.