Q. Define Dialect. What are different types of dialects and what factors influence dialect?

A dialect is a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, and

vocabulary. The adjective dialectal describes anything related to this topic. The study of dialects is
known as dialectology or sociolinguistics.

Difference between a language and dialect:

Dialects are subsets of a certain language associated with specific regions or areas of a country. They are
based on the same language but with variations that can make a big difference in the way you
communicate with people. Languages are often considered more clearly defined and formal and are
generally adopted as official languages of countries, while dialects rarely are.

Factors that Influence dialects

There are several factors that influence dialects within a language, including:

Geography — Where you live in a country or region can affect how you pronounce words as well as the
words and phrases you use.

Socioeconomic groups — People from the same city or area can speak different dialects based on their
environment.

Patterns of migration — Some dialects are the result of the migration of people from one country to
another and the influence of their native language on how they adapt and speak the language of their
new country or region.

Types of Dialects

There are many different types of dialects. Outlined here are regional dialect, standard dialect,
sociolect, isolect and patios.

1. Regional Dialect

A regional dialect is a dialect spoken by the people in a specific region of a country or continent. English
is spoken by more than 1.5 billion people all around the world, which means there are hundreds of
different English dialects and accents that you'll encounter! The way people speak English in one place—
like a particular country, region, or city—is called a regional dialect: people might use vocabulary,
pronunciations, grammar, and even conversational rules that you don't hear in other places!
Six regional dialects of English around the globe.

1. American English

2. British English
3. Indian English

4. Singaporean English

5. Jamaican English

5. Nigerian English

American English

American English is what you'll hear at universities in the United States, which host more international
students than any other countries in the world.

Pronunciation:

When there is a “t” sound in the middle of the word, it often gets pronounced more like a “d” sound—so
“butter” sounds like “budder” and “water” sounds like “wadder.”

Grammar:

The simple past (like "ate" and "saw") is used more often in situations where speakers of other dialects
would be more likely to use the present perfect ("have eaten" or "have seen"). For example, in the U.S.
you might hear “I just ate dinner” more than “I've just eaten dinner."

Vocabulary:

To give someone your “John Hancock” is to give them your signature, “soccer” is the sport the rest of
the world calls “football,” the “first floor” of a building is more often referred to as the “ground floor” in
other places (and the “second floor” of a building in the U.S. would be the first floor in the U.K.!).

British English

British English is the regional dialect spoken in the U.K.. It's one of the most widely studied by learners
around the world. It’s also similar to the Englishes of many Commonwealth countries, such as Australia,
New Zealand, and South Africa.

Pronunciation:

The letter “r” is usually only pronounced when there is a vowel right after it. This leads to longer, or
more stretched-out sounding, vowels than in other dialects (like American English). So in words like
“park” or “car” you don’t really hear an “r” sound in British English, but in American English you would.

Grammar:
Nouns for groups of people, like “team” or “government,” usually take a plural verb form—even though
the nouns themselves look singular! In British English you say “The government are making new laws”
and “Our team are winning.”

Vocabulary:

There are many words particular to British English and the other Commonwealth Englishes, for example
"trousers" (vs. "pants" in the U.S.), "nappy" (vs. "diaper"), "bonnet (of a car)" (vs. "hood"), "lift" (vs.
"elevator"), "trainers" (vs. "sneakers"), and "petrol" (vs. "gas").

Indian English

Pronunciation:

Indian English is known for having a rhythm quite different from other dialects. When it comes to
consonant sounds, “w” often gets pronounced more like “v” so “wine” sounds like “vine.” Also, most “p”
sounds don't have the puff of air that you'll hear in other countries.

Vocabulary:

Indian English has developed special family vocabulary. For example, you'll hear "cousin brother" for
"male cousin" and "cousin sister" for "female cousin." Indian English uses lots of other innovative,
unique words, too! In Indian English, “trial room” isn’t in a courthouse, but a “fitting room” where you
try on clothes in a store. “Pain” is used as a verb, as in “My head is paining” to say that you’ve got a
headache.

2. Sociolect.

A sociolect is a variety of language used by a specific social , age or professional group often
characterized by distinct grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

An example of socilect difference is 'zero copula' in African American Vernacular English. It occurs in a
specific ethnic group but in all areas of the united States. William Labov gives an example " He here"'
Instead of " He's here. "

3.Standard dialect :

A standard dialect (also known as a standardized dialect or "standard language") is a dialect that is
supported by institutions. . A term in LINGUISTICS for a part of a language traditionally equated with the
language itself, and seen as the product of such ‘refining’ forces as use at a royal court, by the middle
classes, and in literature, printing, publishing, and education.There may be multiple standard dialects
associated with a single language. For example, Standard American English, Standard British English,
Standard Indian English, Standard Australian English, and Standard Philippine English may all be said to
be standard dialects of the English language.

4.Idiolect
An idiolect refers to a person's distinctive way of speaking and using language. Idiolects incorporate all
aspects of language, such as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Someone's idiolect can be
influenced by social factors such as personal experiences, other people (parents, friends, classmates),
the media (tv, movies, books), and more. It is important to know that idiolects change throughout a
person's life; they do not need to stay the same! As we get older and language continues to evolve, we
may change how we speak or the words we use.

5. Patios

Patios is a non technical term for a dialect, especially if it has low status in relation to a standard, literary
language. In some instances it can come across as a kind of an insult; if you don't speak the prestige
dialect of your country or region or if you speak a sort of "Broken English" someone might say you speak
a patios.

6.Prestige Dialect

In sociolinguistics, the concept of prestige concerns the degree of respect that a variety of language has.
According to German linguist Heinz Kloss, prestige around language involves the following factors:
 high modernization

 international standing

 social status of those who speak it

 literary heritage

Distinctions Between Dialect and Accent

"Accents have to be distinguished from dialects. An accent is a person's distinctive pronunciation. A

dialect is a much broader notion: it refers to the distinctive vocabulary and grammar of someone's use
of language. If you say eether and I say iyther, that's accent. We use the same word but pronounce it
differently. But if you say I've got a new dustbin and I say I've gotten a new garbage can, that's dialect.
We're using different word and sentence patterns to talk about the same thing,"

Conclusion

Thus a dialect is a subgroup or form of a language spoken by a specific group of people. Dialect should
not be confused with diction; while dialect is the specific form of a language that someone speaks and
can involve their accent, diction involves the words someone chooses to use when speaking and how
effectively those words convey meaning. The Regional dialects are influenced by a person's geographical
location and environment. Standard dialect refers to the dialect a group of language speakers chooses to
represent the "most proper" dialect of that language; it is used as a means of professional or formal
communication.