Language Varieties #1
–> language varieties are different language forms that differ in their structure and use
Some varieties are:
Dialects
Sociolects (variety in different social environments)
Registers (choice of vocabulary, e.g. slang vs. terminology)
One of my biggest linguistic pet peeves is that most people always confuse the language variety of dialects with accents, so here is what they both mean:
Dialects vs. Accents:
Dialect:
variation of the main language
adds to or changes the vocabulary, grammar & pronunciation
e.g. American English, Scouse, Geordie, Cockney, Australian English, etc.
Accent:
pronunciation of a language
is part of a dialect, but does not change/replace anything
e.g. a German speaking British English has a German accent of a British dialect
So, as a native American whose first language is American English, you don’t have an “American accent”, you speak the “American dialect”. However, if your first language is German, then you probably have a “German accent” while speaking English.
Language variation depends on:
pronunciation
word choice
morphology
syntax
Possible language changes:
vocabulary change
change of meanings
grammatical constructions
sounds
But apart from accents and dialects, there are also other possible variations of languages:
Pidgins & Creoles:
Pidgin:
reduced language form
simplified grammatical structure
not a mother tongue
“lingua franca” for easier communication & understanding among different language speakers
e.g. Tok Pisin (on its way to become a creole language)
Creoles:
language that develops through the contact of several languages (–> a mixture of these languages, but most structures and vocabulary is based on the “more dominant” language) e.g. Nigerian Creole English, Singlish in Singapore
In part 2 of this post, I will continue with explaining some “functional varieties” that occur within one language…..
