di·a·lect (d   -l kt )n. 1. a. A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists: Cockney is a dialect of English. b. A variety of language that with other varieties constitutes a single language of which no single variety is standard: the dialects of Ancient Greek. 2. The language peculiar to the members of a group, especially in an occupation; jargon: the dialect of science. 3. The manner or style of expressing oneself in language or the arts. 4. A language considered as part of a larger family of languages or a linguistic branch. Not in scientific use: Spanish and French are Romance dialects. [French dialecte, from Old French, from Latin dialectus, form of speech, from Greek dialektos, speech, from dialegesthai, to discourse, use a dialect : dia-, between, over; see dia- + legesthai, middle voice of legein, to speak; see leg- in Indo-European roots.] di a·lectal adj.di a·lectal·ly adv.Synonyms: dialect, vernacular, jargon, cant2, argot, lingo, patois These nouns denote forms of language that vary from the standard. Dialect usually applies to the vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation characteristic of specific geographic localities or social classes. The vernacular is the informal everyday language spoken by a people. Jargon is specialized language understood only by a particular group, as one sharing an occupation or interest. Cant now usually refers to the specialized vocabulary of a group or trade and is often marked by the use of stock phrases. Argot applies especially to the language of the underworld. Lingo is often applied to language that is unfamiliar or difficult to understand. Patois is sometimes used as a synonym for jargon or cant, but it can also refer to a regional dialect that has no literary tradition. |
dialect
Noun
a form of a language spoken in a particular geographical area [Greek dialektos speech, dialect]
dialectal adj
dialect
a variety of a language peculiar to a particular region or group within a larger community, usually but not always existing in the spoken form only. — dialectal, adj.
See also: Linguistics
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | dialect - 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" non-standard speech - speech that differs from the usual accepted, easily recognizable speech of native adult members of a speech community eye dialect - the use of misspellings to identify a colloquial or uneducated speaker patois - a regional dialect of a language (especially French); usually considered substandard |
dialect
Translations
n dialect [ˈdaiəlekt]
a way of speaking found only in a certain area or among a certain group or class of people They were speaking in dialect. dialek, streekspraak لَهْجَه، لُغَه مَحَلِّيَّه диалект nářečí dialekt der Dialekt διάλεκτος dialecto murre گویش؛ لهجه murre dialecte נִיב, עֵגָה बोली, उपभाषा dijalekt, narječje tájszólás, nyelvjárás dialek mállÿska dialetto 方言 방언, 사투리, 한 집단이나 계층에서만 사용되는 말 tarmė, dialektas dialekts; izloksne loghat dialect dialekt, målføre dialekt dialecto dialect диалект nárečie narečje dijalekt dialekt ภาษาถิ่น lehçe 方言 діалект; говір کسی علاقے کی مقامی بولی thổ ngữ 方言
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