Language, Dialects, Registers, and Idiolects

1
Language, Dialects, Registers, and Idiolects

• LANGUAGE
• A code whereby ideasare represented through a
  conventional, rule-based, system of arbitrary
  symbols for communication.

2

• DIALECT
• A variation of a language.
• Regional dialects
• Pacific northwest (Oregon, Montana)
• Pacific southwest (California, Nevada)
• Central plains (Nebraska, Kansas)
• North central (Minnesota, Dakotas)
• South central (Kentucky, Tennessee)
• Southern (Louisiana, Alabama)
• New England (Maine, New Hampshire)
• New York City
• Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, Delaware)
• Western Pennsylvania
• Appalachian (Virgina, North Carolina)
• Ethnic dialects
• African-American English
• Asian English
• Hispanic English

3

• IDIOLECT
• Each individuals own dialect, affected by
  numerous variables.
• Where have you lived?
• Where did your parents grow up?
• Who were your friends? Where did they grow up?
• What languages do you know?

4

• REGISTER
• Styles of speech, adjusted to the needs of our
  listeners
• How does your speech change when you talk to
• Your pastor?
• Your mom?
• Your roommate?
• Your college professor?
• Your waitress?
• Your best friend?
• Your 3 year old niece?

5
Regional Dialect Classes

• General American (Standard American)
• Pacific NW, Pacific SW, Central, North Central
• Eastern American
• New England, New York City, Mid-Atlantic, Western
  Pennsylvania
• Southern American
• South Central, Southern, Appalachian

6
Eastern American dialect sample

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJ1V-4boT_ts

7
Ethnic/Cultural Dialects

• African-American Dialect
• Black English
• Ebonics
• African-American Vernacular
• Asian English
• Affected by first language
• Hispanic English
• Affected by first language

8
Asian English dialect sample

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v46WcFObgYhI

9
Sample of AAE

• bathe /bev/
• pen /p?n/
• skates /sket/
• zipper /z?po/
• egg /??/
• tame /te?/

10
Sample of HE

• van /b??/
• bead /bit/
• cheese /t?is/
• yellow /?????/
• feather /f????/

11
Sample of British English

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v_OBlgSz8sSMfeature
  related

12
Bilingual Phonology

• Divided into 2 groups
• Simultaneous bilinguals
• Successive bilinguals
• Simultaneous
• Single systems til 50 word lexicon
• Dialect affected by exposure to each language
• 3 possibilities
• 2 independent systems identical to monolinguals
• A degree of integration with one system dominant
• 2 systems that differ in some way from
  monolinguals

13

• Successive
• Influence of first language more pronounced than
  for simulataneous
• Phonology system most affected.
• Syntax, semantics, morphology less affected

14
Accent modification therapy

• Vowel errors
• Prosody errors
• Word stress
• Message level intonation
• Consonant errors
• Syllable structure differencesOpen syllables of
  Asian languages
• Ligatures
• She took a bit of butter for the potato.

15
Sample of accent modification in reverse

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vozIZBvEZ814

16
How would a child who uses AAE produce
these words?bathepenspoonneverthatleg
17

• How would a child who uses HE produce these
  words?
• vacuum
• mother
• yesterday
• wish
• think