dialects
dialects — noun
- dialectssingular
- dialectsesplural
1. A way of speaking a language that belongs to a particular place, with unique voc
A way of speaking a language that belongs to a particular place, with unique vocabulary, sounds, and grammar that separate it from the standard form used in schools and writing.
Rodrigo grew up speaking a rural dialect with words his city cousins have never heard.
collocation: rural dialect — contrast with standard variety
The mountain village dialect preserves grammar patterns that the standard language lost.
preserves grammar patterns — historical continuity of dialects
When Yasmin visited her grandmother's hometown, she could barely understand the local dialect at first.
Teachers often encourage students to value their home dialect while learning the standard form.
The fishing community's dialect has its own words for different types of waves and wind.
- regional variety
broader, more neutral term used by linguists
- vernacular
refers specifically to the everyday language of ordinary people in a region
- patois
regional dialect, sometimes viewed as non-standard or local
- standard language
the official, codified form taught in schools and used in formal writing
文法句型
speak + a dialect
dialect of + [region/area]
用法筆記
Only this sense refers to geographical varieties. For varieties defined by social group rather than region, see sense 2 (SOCIAL GROUP).
常見錯誤
2. A version of a language that is tied to a certain social group — for instance, t
A version of a language that is tied to a certain social group — for instance, the speech of young people, lawyers, or a specific social class — rather than to any geographic region.
Hospital doctors use a dialect full of technical terms that confuse patients.
collocation: professional dialect — technical vocabulary of a trade
Hao noticed his teenage nephew's dialect includes slang that older family members never use.
The dialect of legal documents uses old-fashioned expressions that are rarely heard in everyday talk.
Each generation creates a social dialect with new words that older speakers do not use.
Mira found that the gaming community developed a dialect that outsiders struggle to follow.
- sociolect
the technical linguistic term for a social, not geographic, dialect
- jargon
specialised vocabulary of a profession or activity, narrower in scope than a full dialect
- ingroup language
emphasises the social-bonding function of shared speech patterns
- standard language
the neutral, widely accepted form not tied to any particular social group
文法句型
dialect of + [social group/profession]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (REGIONAL VARIETY): if the variety is tied to a place, use sense 1; if it is tied to a group's identity (class, age, profession, subculture), use this sense.