Words Related to Linguistics - Sociolinguistics
Here you will learn some English words related to sociolinguistics such as "accent", "social dialect", and "jargon".
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dialect
[noun]
the spoken form of a language specific to a certain region or people which is slightly different from the standard form in words and grammar
accent
[noun]
a manner of speaking that indicates social class, nationality, or locality of the speaker
vernacular
[noun]
the everyday language spoken by a particular group of people in a specific region or community
standard language
[noun]
a regulated and accepted form of a language that is widely used in formal settings, education, government, and media
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
jargon
[noun]
words, phrases, and expressions used by a specific group or profession, which are incomprehensible to others
free variation
[noun]
the 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
regional dialect
[noun]
a variety of a language that is spoken in a specific geographical region
social dialect
[noun]
a variation of a language associated with a specific social group or class, characterized by distinct linguistic features influenced by social factors
native language
[noun]
the 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
prestige
[noun]
the social value and perceived status associated with a particular language, dialect, or speech variety
received pronunciation
[noun]
a prestigious and historically influential accent and pronunciation variant of Standard British English, commonly associated with educated speakers in the United Kingdom
speech community
[noun]
a group of people who share a common language or variety of a language and interact with one another using that language or variety
mutual intelligibility
[noun]
the 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
isoglass
[noun]
a geographic boundary that marks the linguistic feature or variation in pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar between different dialects or language varieties
diglossia
[noun]
a 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
dialect levelling
[noun]
the process of reducing linguistic differences between dialects, resulting in a more standardized variety of a language
dialect cluster
[noun]
a group of closely related dialects that share significant linguistic similarities, often found in a specific geographical or cultural region
lingua franca
[noun]
a language or a simplified communication system that is used as a common means of communication between speakers of different native languages
diasystem
[noun]
a 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
dialect continuum
[noun]
a range of dialects that are mutually intelligible to some degree, where each adjacent dialect shares similarities and gradually transitions into the next one
pidgin
[noun]
a 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
pidginization
[noun]
the 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
zonal auxiliary language
[noun]
a constructed language designed to serve as a communication tool within a specific geographic region or zone
creole
[noun]
a language that has been evolved from a mixture of a European and a local language, spoken as a mother tongue
creolization
[noun]
the 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
decreolization
[noun]
the 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
post-creole continuum
[noun]
the 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
naturalistic planned language
[noun]
a constructed language that aims to resemble and function like a natural language, typically developed with the goal of facilitating international communication and cultural exchange
language secessionism
[noun]
the 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
code-switching
[noun]
the phenomenon of switching between two or more languages or language varieties within a conversation or discourse, often influenced by social, cultural, or linguistic factors
variety
[noun]
a 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
lexifier
[noun]
the main language that makes it difficult to learn or understand a simplified language that developed from a mix of different languages
style shifting
[noun]
the 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
covert prestige
[noun]
the 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
indigenous language
[noun]
a language that is native to a particular region or territory and has been traditionally spoken by the indigenous or native population of that area
slang
[noun]
words 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.
taboo language
[noun]
words, expressions, or topics that are considered socially or culturally inappropriate or offensive and are typically avoided or restricted in polite conversation
American English
[noun]
the variety of English language used primarily in the United States, characterized by its distinct pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar conventions
ebonics
[noun]
a variety of English spoken predominantly by African Americans in the United States
bidialectal
[noun]
an 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
hypercorrection
[noun]
a linguistic phenomenon where speakers or writers overcompensate for a perceived error or nonstandard usage by using a form that is actually incorrect or nonstandard
T-V distinction
[noun]
a linguistic feature that distinguishes between formal and informal forms of address in language, often indicating social status or hierarchy
anglicism
[noun]
a word, phrase, or grammatical construction that is borrowed from the English language into another language
britishism
[noun]
a word, phrase, pronunciation, or cultural trait that is specific to or associated with British English or British culture
uptalk
[noun]
speech in which every declarative clause, sentence, etc. ends with a rising intonation, as if a question
interlanguage
[noun]
the 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
language planning
[noun]
the intentional actions taken to shape or control how a language is used in a community or society
language assessment
[noun]
the process of evaluating an individual's language proficiency or abilities through various tests, examinations, or evaluations
code word
[noun]
a word or phrase with a predetermined meaning that is used instead of the usual name or word for something
linguistic purism
[noun]
the 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
stratum
[noun]
a 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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