Regional dialects

Definition A regional dialect (known as a regiolect or topolect) is a distinct form of a language spoken in a particular geographical area. A regional dialect is spoken in one particular area of a country.

Features Differences in: Pronunciation Word choice Syntax

The distinctive varieties are usually called regional dialects of the language. Dialect geography is the term used to describe attempts made to map the distributions of various linguistic features so as to show their geographical provenance.

Dialect geographers try to find answers to questions such as the following. Is this an r-pronouncing area of English, as in words like car and cart, or is it not? What past tense form of drink do speakers prefer? What names do people give to particular objects in the environment, e.g., elevator or lift, petrol or gas,

Speakers of US English tend to prefer do you have , though this can now also be heard in Britain alongside the traditional British English have you got . Americans say gotten where people in England use got . Many Americans use dove while most British English speakers prefer dived. Americans ask did you eat ? while the English ask have you eaten?

3. GRAMMAR

Social dialect : Differences in speech associated with various social group or place .

Factors Occupation . Place of residence . Education . Income. Racial origin . Cultural background. Caste .

Age Social class Race Ethnicity Gender Social Variation

Dialect: Accent: The way the speaker sound. Dialect is different from accent… Accent: The way the speaker sound. Dialect: Describes speaker’s accent and grammar. Includes the pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.

SOCIAL CLASS DIALECTS VOCABULARY In the 1950s in England, many pairs of words were to identify the social group the speaker belongs to. The word either placed the speaker in the “U speakers” or the “non-U speakers”. “U = upper-class” Vocabulary U speakers Non-U speakers Sitting room lounge lavatory toilet sofa settee Pronunciation Grammar

Differences between Social Dialect and Regional Dialect Social Dialects Regional Dialect Use of language; social classes Use of language; geographical discrepancies Affected by social barriers Affected by geographical barriers Distance is not an important factor Distance is an important factor