Linguistics. a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.
a provincial, rural, or socially distinct variety of a language that differs from the standard language, especially when considered as substandard.
a special variety of a language: The literary dialect is usually taken as the standard language.
a language considered as one of a group that have a common ancestor: Persian, Latin, and English are Indo-European dialects.
jargon or cant.
Origin of dialect
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin dialectus, from Greek diálektos “discourse, language, dialect,” equivalent to dialég(esthai) “to converse” (dia- “through, between” + légein “to speak”) + -tos verbal adjective suffix; see origin at dia-
We’ve got a big project right now, which is mapping all of the dialects in Scotland into a gigantic atlas and looking at how they all interrelate to each other and how people use them.
Talking Is Throwing Fictional Worlds at One Another - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Kevin Berger|September 9, 2020|Nautilus
Or, you may be targeting people who already speak English but use different words based on regional dialects.
5 tips for starting international PPC|Tim Jensen|July 31, 2020|Search Engine Land
The findings fly in the face of previous hypotheses that birdsong dialects don’t change much within local regions.
A sparrow song remix took over North America with astonishing speed|Jack J. Lee|July 2, 2020|Science News
There are many differences in Standard Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, while there are plenty of Spanish variations spoken across North America, South America and the Caribbean, let alone the many regional dialects in Spain itself.
Six must-know international SEO tips to expand business|Edward Coram James|June 3, 2020|Search Engine Watch
He frequently slips into Neapolitan dialect so thick that is incomprehensible.
The Costa Concordia’s Randy Reckless Captain Takes the Stand|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sicilian dialect is filled with Arabic words like mischinu (taken from the Arabic word miskin), which means a poor person.
Refugees Head to Sicily in ‘Biblical Exodus’|Barbie Latza Nadeau|April 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dialect, for instance, was not his métier, so like a true devotee of the form he exploited his incompetence for laughs.
Robert Pinsky: The Comedy of Seamus Heaney|Robert Pinsky|October 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“For me to learn any Romance or Germanic dialect, just put me in the environment, and it would come alive,” he said.
Adventures with an Extreme Polyglot: Excerpt from 'Babel No More'|Michael Erard|January 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But it was in the dialect of the West African Fulani language and for weeks no translation was available.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn Accuser’s Detained “Fiancé” Amara Tarawally Speaks|Christine Pelisek, Terry Greene Sterling, Christopher Dickey|July 13, 2011|DAILY BEAST
In the 12th century the same gospels were again copied by pious hands into the Kentish dialect of the period.
It is also most mixed with words from the Cree dialect of the Algonkin.
The Natural History of the Varieties of Man|Robert Gordon Latham
In vain had I tried to learn or collect words of the Bunda, or dialect spoken in Angola.
Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa|David Livingstone
His novels are marked by abundance of incident, skilful handling of dialect, and realistic portraiture.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
He holds a tumbler in his right hand, and swears, in his Yorkshire dialect, that he is 'King and a hauf!'
The Bront Family, Vol. 2 of 2|Francis A. Leyland
British Dictionary definitions for dialect
dialect
/ (ˈdaɪəˌlɛkt) /
noun
a form of a language spoken in a particular geographical area or by members of a particular social class or occupational group, distinguished by its vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation
a form of a language that is considered inferiorthe farmer spoke dialect and was despised by the merchants
(as modifier)a dialect word
Derived forms of dialect
dialectal, adjective
Word Origin for dialect
C16: from Latin dialectus, from Greek dialektos speech, dialect, discourse, from dialegesthai to converse, from legein to talk, speak
3 Easy Tips For Writing Realistic DialectsMany writers use dialects to enhance realism in their stories, especially for characters in specific locations. However, it’s easy to overuse or misuse dialects if you aren't careful. To use them correctly, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind.