dialect
nounthe spoken form of a language specific to a certain region or people which is slightly different from the standard form in words and grammar
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accent
nouna manner of speaking that indicates social class, nationality, or locality of the speaker
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vernacular
nounthe everyday language spoken by a particular group of people in a specific region or community
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standard language
nouna regulated and accepted form of a language that is widely used in formal settings, education, government, and media
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register
noun(linguistics) a variety of language that is used in a particular social context, based on the communicative purpose and social status of the user
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jargon
nounwords, phrases, and expressions used by a specific group or profession, which are incomprehensible to others
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idolect
nounthe unique language variety or style of an individual speaker
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free variation
nounthe phenomenon in which multiple forms or variants of a linguistic element, such as a phoneme, morpheme, or word, can be used interchangeably without affecting the meaning or grammaticality of a sentence
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regional dialect
nouna variety of a language that is spoken in a specific geographical region
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social dialect
nouna variation of a language associated with a specific social group or class, characterized by distinct linguistic features influenced by social factors
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native language
nounthe first language or mother tongue that a person acquires naturally from birth or early childhood and is typically the language they are most proficient in
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prestige
nounthe social value and perceived status associated with a particular language, dialect, or speech variety
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received pronunciation
nouna prestigious and historically influential accent and pronunciation variant of Standard British English, commonly associated with educated speakers in the United Kingdom
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speech community
nouna group of people who share a common language or variety of a language and interact with one another using that language or variety
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mutual intelligibility
nounthe ability of speakers of different but related languages or dialects to understand each other to a certain degree due to similarities in their linguistic structures and vocabulary
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isoglass
nouna geographic boundary that marks the linguistic feature or variation in pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar between different dialects or language varieties
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diglossia
nouna sociolinguistic situation where two distinct varieties or registers of a language are used in different social contexts or for different purposes, typically one being a high-prestige, formal variety and the other a low-prestige, informal variety
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dialect levelling
nounthe process of reducing linguistic differences between dialects, resulting in a more standardized variety of a language
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dialect cluster
nouna group of closely related dialects that share significant linguistic similarities, often found in a specific geographical or cultural region
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lingua franca
nouna language or a simplified communication system that is used as a common means of communication between speakers of different native languages
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diasystem
nouna set of interconnected or related language varieties, including dialects, registers, and other linguistic variants, that are used by a particular speech community or within a specific linguistic context
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dialect continuum
nouna range of dialects that are mutually intelligible to some degree, where each adjacent dialect shares similarities and gradually transitions into the next one
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pidgin
nouna simplified language made up of two or more languages used as a means of communication among people who do not share a common language but need to talk, for example for trading
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pidginization
nounthe process in which a simplified form of language, known as a pidgin, emerges as a means of communication between groups of people who do not share a common language
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zonal auxiliary language
nouna constructed language designed to serve as a communication tool within a specific geographic region or zone
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creole
nouna language that has been evolved from a mixture of a European and a local language, spoken as a mother tongue
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creolization
nounthe process through which a new language, known as a creole, emerges as a result of contact between different languages, typically in situations of colonization, slavery, or migration
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decreolization
nounthe process whereby a creole language undergoes changes that make it more similar to its lexifier language or other dominant languages in the surrounding linguistic environment
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post-creole continuum
nounthe spectrum of language varieties that emerge and evolve in a community following the formation of a creole language, ranging from more creole-like forms to more standard-like forms
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naturalistic planned language
nouna constructed language that aims to resemble and function like a natural language, typically developed with the goal of facilitating international communication and cultural exchange
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language secessionism
nounthe movement or desire for a particular linguistic group to secede or break away from a larger language or linguistic community to establish their own independent language or dialect
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code-switching
nounthe phenomenon of switching between two or more languages or language varieties within a conversation or discourse, often influenced by social, cultural, or linguistic factors
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variety
nouna distinct form or type of a language, such as a regional variety, social variety, or stylistic variety, which may differ in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and usage
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lexifier
nounthe main language that makes it difficult to learn or understand a simplified language that developed from a mix of different languages
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style shifting
nounthe phenomenon of changing one's language or speech style based on different social contexts, audiences, or situations, often involving the use of different registers, dialects, or levels of formality
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covert prestige
nounthe social value or status attached to non-standard or stigmatized forms of language, often within specific subcultures or communities, despite their lack of recognition or validation in broader society
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indigenous language
nouna language that is native to a particular region or territory and has been traditionally spoken by the indigenous or native population of that area
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slang
nounwords or expressions that are very informal and more common in spoken form, used especially by a particular group of people, such as criminals, children, etc.
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taboo language
nounwords, expressions, or topics that are considered socially or culturally inappropriate or offensive and are typically avoided or restricted in polite conversation
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British English
nounthe English language as used in the United Kingdom
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American English
nounthe variety of English language used primarily in the United States, characterized by its distinct pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar conventions
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ebonics
nouna variety of English spoken predominantly by African Americans in the United States
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bidialectal
nounan individual who is proficient in and able to switch between two distinct dialects or varieties of a language, typically based on regional or social factors
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hypercorrection
nouna linguistic phenomenon where speakers or writers overcompensate for a perceived error or nonstandard usage by using a form that is actually incorrect or nonstandard
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T-V distinction
nouna linguistic feature that distinguishes between formal and informal forms of address in language, often indicating social status or hierarchy
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anglicism
nouna word, phrase, or grammatical construction that is borrowed from the English language into another language
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britishism
nouna word, phrase, pronunciation, or cultural trait that is specific to or associated with British English or British culture
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uptalk
nounspeech in which every declarative clause, sentence, etc. ends with a rising intonation, as if a question
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interlanguage
nounthe linguistic system that emerges during second language acquisition, characterized by a combination of the learner's native language and the target language, incorporating both correct and incorrect features as the learner progresses towards proficiency
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language planning
nounthe intentional actions taken to shape or control how a language is used in a community or society
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language assessment
nounthe process of evaluating an individual's language proficiency or abilities through various tests, examinations, or evaluations
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code word
nouna word or phrase with a predetermined meaning that is used instead of the usual name or word for something
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linguistic purism
nounthe advocacy or belief in preserving or purifying a language by purging it of foreign or non-standard elements, often aiming for linguistic preservation and cultural identity
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stratum
nouna distinct layer or level within a language system, such as different dialects, sociolects, or registers, that are associated with specific social groups, regions, or levels of formality
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substratum
nounthe linguistic influence of a less prestigious language on a dominant language in contact, resulting in the adoption or transfer of phonological, morphological, syntactic, or lexical features
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