- di|a|lect
- di|a|lect «DY uh lehkt», noun, adjective.–n.1. a form of speech spoken in a certain district or by a certain group of people: »
The Scottish dialect of English has many words and pronunciations that are not used in Standard English. A dialect of French is spoken in southern Louisiana by descendants of French Canadians.
SYNONYM(S): See syn. under language. (Cf. ↑language)2. one of a group of closely related languages: »Some of the dialects descended from the Latin language are French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
3. a distinct form or variety of a language: »the Sicilian dialect of Italian.
4. words and pronunciations used by certain professions, classes of people, or other groups.–adj.= dialectal: (Cf. ↑dialectal) »dialect speech, dialect poems.
╂[< French dialecte < Latin dialectus < Greek diálektos discourse, conversation, ultimately < diá- between + légein speak]Usage Dialects exist because of the separation of groups of speakers and are not peculiar to backward regions, for the “Oxford accent” forms a minor dialect, and the people of Boston and of New York speak differently from their neighbors. Nor do dialects depend upon education or social standing. An educated, as well as an uneducated, Westerner will speak somewhat differently from a Southerner or New Englander of a similar degree and quality of education.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
