noun
dialect
DEYE-uh-lehkt
noun
1
A form of a language spoken in a particular region or by a particular group, differing from the standard version in vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation.
"The novel is written partly in a Yorkshire dialect."
"He grew up speaking a regional dialect at home and standard English at school."
How to Use Dialect
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA regional or social variety of a language, with its own words, sounds, or grammar quirks.
Common mistake
A dialect isn't automatically "incorrect" language — linguists treat dialects as equally valid, just different, versions of a language.
Common pairings
regional dialect
speak in dialect
a dialect of Chinese
Word Forms
dialects plural
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The novel is written partly in a Yorkshire _____.
Etymology
From French dialecte, from Greek dialektos ("conversation, local speech"), from dialegesthai ("to converse").