1.2. Dialects vs variety/variation

Dialects are defined as varieties of language which are spoken in different geographical or social areas that are mutually understandable.

Regional vs. Social Dialect: social dialects do not necessarily follow geographic boundaries but adhere to age, social class or social networks.

Many educators and linguists consider the term dialect to be vague: e.g. the term “dialect” is used to refer to the speech of low-income African American (it is used with the article “the”). Another common use of the term “dialect” refers to those varieties of English whose features have become widely recognized throughout American society. Society at large recognizes a “southern drawl” or a “Boston accent”. So many American language scientists prefer to use such terms as language difference, language variety or language variation instead to denote the language associated with a particular regional or social group.

The Standard English operates on both formal and informal levels.

The formal standard is codified, prescriptive and relatively homogeneous. We can simply appeal to the established source such as usage guides and established authorities on the English language. The sphere of usage for the formal standard is relatively restricted, largely confined to writing and specialized public presentations.

The informal standard is more subjective, somewhat flexible, and tends to exist on a continuum.

Standard A B C D E Nonstandard

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A continuum of standardness

The informal standard is more widely applicable and relevant to the vast majority of everyday language interactions.

Standard American English (SAE) is a variety of English devoid of both general and local socially stigmatized features, as well as regionally obtrusive phonological and grammatical features.

Contrary to popular opinion, SAE is fairly limited in terms of the occasions and professions that call for its usage; it is also quite restricted in terms of who routinely uses it. On most speaking occasions Regional Standard English is more pertinent than SAE, although the notion of regional Standard English certainly receives much less public attention. Regional Standard English refers to the variety which is recognized as standard for speakers in a given locale. This variety may contain regional features and particularly in pronunciation and vocabulary, but also some features of grammar and language use. Most typically, it is associated with middle-class, educated native speakers of the region. In the local context, these speakers would be rated as Standard English speakers by community members from different social strata within the community.

In a Southern setting such as Memphis, Tennessee, the regional standard may include a number of Southern regionalisms:

• lack of contrast between [I] and [e] before nasals in “pin” and “pen”

• the monophthongization of [aI] in “time”, “hi”

• plural “y’all”

• personal Dative pronouns “I got me a new outfit”

The standard Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, variety includes

• the local “broad a” (bad, pass)

• the vowel [i] in items such as att[i]tude vs. att[q]tude or magn[i]tude vs. magn[q]tude

• positive “anymore”: Anymore we watch videos rather than go to the movies

• pronoun absence in personal “with” phrases: Are you coming with?

But in both locales, the standard dialects would share the avoidance of a general set of socially stigmatized features such as multiple negation and different irregular verbs (They seen it. They brang it to the picnic.).

Regional standards are not necessarily transferable, so that the standard dialect of Memphis might not be considered standard in the context of Philadelphia.