Language Varieties

Variety is a specific set of ‘linguistic items’ or ‘human

speech patterns’ (presumably sounds, words,
grammatical features, etc.) which we can connect with
some external factor apparently, a geographical area or
a social group.
(Hudson, 1996; Ferguson, 1972 and Wardhaugh, 2006

Examples : Canadian English, London English,

Standard English, Indian English
 Dialects
Dialect is a variety of language which differs,
phonologically and lexically from other varieties, and
which is associated with a particular social class or
status group.

Dialect: refers to a variety of a language , particular

form of which is peculiar to specific region or social
group, that can signal the speaker’s regional or social
background.

Examples : Australian dialect, Indian dialect .

Dialect is a specific form of a given language ,
spoken in a certain locality or geographical
area, showing sufficient differences from the
standard of literary form of that language.

This determines the origin of the speaker or

which region he/she belongs to.
 Accent
A distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one
associated with a particular country, area, or social class.

A distinct emphasis given to a syllable or word in speech by stress or

pitch.
 Distinction between Language and Dialect
A language is spoken in a large area.

It is a standard variety which has its own phonology, syntax

and morphology. It has its own prestige

But a dialect is one of the varieties under the language

community. It does not have syntax and a formal form of
own.

It cannot be accepted as a standard language, as it lacks

prestige.

Difference in size.
 Kinds of dialects
1 Regional Dialect

Regional dialect is based on the geographical

isogloss.
A regional dialect is a variety associated with a
place.

Regional dialect is a variety of a language

community which is spoken within a large
geographical area.
2 Social Dialect

A social dialect is a variety associated with a social

groups or classes.

There are two other types

(a) Geographical mobility

(b) Social class

(a) Geographical mobility

In it people move from one place to another taking their
dialects with them to new surroundings and develop a
new pattern.
 (b) Social Classes

In the same dialect area the speakers belonging to one social group
use different variety of the dialect with the other groups of the
society in the same geographical area cannot use.

For instance
lower social classes of the same area have variation in their speech
in comparison with the speech of the people belonging to the
higher group.
 Register
A register is a variety of a language used for a
particular purpose or in a particular communicative
social settings.

Registers are used in all forms of communication,

including written, spoken, and signed.

Registers can simply be described as variations of

the language according to its use, while the
dialect as a language variation based on users
registers on this concept is not limited to the
choice of words but also includes the
choice of the use of text structure, and texture.
Distinction between dialect and register

The Varieties of language according to users and uses.

Register involves what people do with their language.

When we observe the language activities in the different contexts it is operated

,we may find its different varieties to be selected as appropriate to different
situations.
As they adapt their behavior according to the situation, they adapt their
language.

This adaptation of language according to situation, context and purpose forms

a language variety that is called ‘Register’. Unlike register, Dialect is a variety
of language which has its peculiar vocabulary, and pronunciation. Register is
social while dialect is geographical variation.

For instance

Same person use very different linguistic items.

On the basis of the formal properties of the language,
Michael Halliday distinguishes three general types of
dimensions of register.

1.Field, 2. Mode 3. Tenor

1. Field is associated with the purpose and the subject

matter of communication.

2.Mode refers to the means by which the communication

takes place, notably, by speech or writing.

3 Tenor or style refers to the relations among the

participants.
1 Field refers to why ,
and about what communication takes place

2 Mode is about how

3 Style refers to whom

21-2-2019
 What is an Idiolect
Idio means private , personal

Idiolects are the distinctive speech habits of

an individual, considered as a linguistic
pattern unique among speakers of his or her
language or dialect.

Idiolect – A particular speech habits

It is the language variant used by a specific
individual.
Each person has different idiolect
Accent
Family sayings
Age
Gender
Because each of us belongs to different social groups,
we each speak a language variety made up of a
combination of features slightly different from those
characteristic of any other speaker of the language.

The language variety is unique to a single speaker of a

language is called an idiolect.
Your idiolect includes the vocabulary appropriate
to your various interests and activities,
pronunciations reflective of the region in which
you live or have lived, and variable styles of
speaking that shift slightly depending on whom
you are addressing.“

Every user of language has some peculiar habits

of speech such as repetition of a word without
reason, accent patterns. Thus, uniqueness of a
person gives some personal identity by which a
person is recognized.
 Personal or Private

Idiolect means how you talk individually or in a

small group.

Your own thoughts

Your best friend
Your teacher
Your parents etc
 What is Sociolect OR Social dialect

A variety of language used by a particular social

group, A social dialect.

The sociolect is a variety of speech associated

with a particular social class, or occupational
group within a society.
Pakistani , Indian, American Social structure is
made of different social groups based on caste,
class, religion and culture.

Many times such groups are identified by the way

they speak.

A person belonging to a so called lower caste

section has his own sociolect, separate from the
so called upper caste terminology.
 Genderlect
Language and gender is an area of study within
sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and related fields
that investigate varieties of speech associated with a
particular gender.
A variety of speech associated with a particular gender
is sometimes called a genderlect.

There are many facets to the language we

speak.
We each have a dialect, a sociolect, and a
genderlect.
Speech based on one’s gender identity is
known as a genderlect.
Slang

• A type of language consisting of words and phrases

that are regarded as very informal, are more
common in speech than writing, and are typically
restricted to a particular context or group of
people.

• words and expressions that are informal and not

standard English. Different social groups often use
a special vocabulary.
Jargon

• the specialized language, especially the vocabulary,

to a particular trade, profession, occupational or
group:
For example

medical jargon
blood pressure , Bone fracture
 Isogloss
.

Various types of isogloss are distinguished:

Isophone is a feature of pronunciation,

Isolex the area in which a particular item of vocabulary
is found
Isomorph a feature of word formation

Isoseme a particular word meaning