What does DIALECT mean?

Definitions for DIALECT
ˈdaɪ əˌlɛktdi·alect

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word DIALECT.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. dialect, idiom, accentnoun

    the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people

    "the immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English"; "he has a strong German accent"; "it has been said that a language is a dialect with an army and navy"

Wiktionary

  1. dialectnoun

    A variety of a language (specifically, often a spoken variety) that is characteristic of a particular area, community or group, often with relatively minor differences in vocabulary, style, spelling and pronunciation.

    A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.

  2. dialectnoun

    A dialect of a language perceived as substandard and wrong.

  3. Etymology: From διάλεκτος, from διαλέγομαι, from διά + λέγω.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. DIALECTnoun

    Etymology: διάλεϰτος.

    When themselves do practise that whereof they write, they change their dialect; and those words they shun, as if there were in them some secret sting. Richard Hooker, b. v. s. 22.

    In her youth
    There is a prone and speechless dialect,
    Such as moves men. William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure.

    If the conferring of a kindness did not bind the person, upon whom it was conferred, to the returns of gratitude, why, in the universal dialect of the world, are kindnesses still called obligations? Robert South, Sermons.

ChatGPT

  1. dialect

    A dialect refers to a specific form of a language that is unique to a particular region or social group. It involves differences in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and syntax from the standard form of the language. Dialects can be based on geographical areas, socioeconomic groups, age groups, ethnic groups, or other communities.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Dialectnoun

    means or mode of expressing thoughts; language; tongue; form of speech

  2. Dialectnoun

    the form of speech of a limited region or people, as distinguished from ether forms nearly related to it; a variety or subdivision of a language; speech characterized by local peculiarities or specific circumstances; as, the Ionic and Attic were dialects of Greece; the Yorkshire dialect; the dialect of the learned

Wikidata

  1. Dialect

    The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors, such as social class. A dialect that is associated with a particular social class can be termed a sociolect, a dialect that is associated with a particular ethnic group can be termed as ethnolect, and a regional dialect may be termed a regiolect or topolect. The other usage refers to a language that is socially subordinate to a regional or national standard language, often historically cognate to the standard, but not a variety of it or in any other sense derived from it. A framework was developed in 1967 by Heinz Kloss, Ausbau-, Abstand- and Dach-sprache, to describe speech communities, that while unified politically and/or culturally, include multiple dialects which though closely related genetically may be divergent to the point of inter-dialect unintelligibility. A dialect is distinguished by its vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Where a distinction can be made only in terms of pronunciation, the term accent is appropriate, not dialect. Other speech varieties include: standard languages, which are standardized for public performance; jargons, which are characterized by differences in lexicon; slang; patois; pidgins or argots.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Dialect

    dī′a-lekt, n. a variety or form of a language peculiar to a district: a non-literary vernacular: a peculiar manner of speaking.—adj. Dialect′al.—adv. Dialect′ally.—ns. Dialect′icism; Dialectol′ogist; Dialectol′ogy. [Through Fr. and L. from Gr. dialektos, speech, manner of speech, peculiarity of speech—dia, between, legein, to speak.]

Editors Contribution

  1. dialect

    An expression of language.

    Dialect varies across different countries.


    Submitted by MaryC on March 12, 2020  

Suggested Resources

  1. Dialect

    Language vs. Dialect -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Language and Dialect.

Anagrams for DIALECT »

  1. citadel

  2. deltaic

  3. edictal

  4. lactide

How to pronounce DIALECT?

How to say DIALECT in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of DIALECT in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of DIALECT in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of DIALECT in a Sentence

  1. Thomas Hardy:

    Dialect words are those terrible marks of the beast to the truly genteel.

  2. Siya Kolisi:

    With the food packages that we drop off, we are adding messages in the local dialect of Xhosa, because this is predominately for the Xhosa areas, we put in instructions there for the masks - all in Xhosa - on how to put it on... But the most important is this : if you want people to stay home, tell them why. You can't just tell someone to stay home and not give them anything.

  3. Sam Elliott:

    I think I grew up thinking about my voice as kind of funny because it had this Southwest dialect to it. I sounded very much like my mom in terms of the dialect, i knew that through this years, particularly as I grew older, that I developed this different sound. So I guess I knew at some point before I got into the business that my voice was going to be part of it.

  4. Lo Cascio:

    Dialect came to my aid, it is closer to feelings, to emotions, a spectator should be able to be carried along even if they don't understand every letter.

  5. Arthur Koestler:

    When a person identifies himself with a group his critical faculties are diminished and his passions enhanced by a kind of emotive resonance. The individual is not a killer, the group is, and by identifying with it, the individual becomes one. This is the infernal dialect reflected in man's history.

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Translations for DIALECT

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