Dialectisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. Regional speech characteristics or expressions distinct to a particular area or group that differ from the standard language ; features or words typical of a specific local or cultural community used in everyday communication ; linguistic elements or usages associated with a geographic region that distinguish it from other forms of the language
  2. Distinctive regional language features or vocabulary unique to a certain locality or social group ; particular words, pronunciations, or grammatical forms native to a specific area that contrast with national language usage ; localized linguistic traits or expressions employed by speakers within a defined territory or cultural milieu
  3. Language forms and expressions typical of a specific geographic region or ethnic group that deviate from the mainstream dialect ; characteristic and traditional speech patterns identified with certain communities that contribute to language diversity ; area-specific linguistic variations including pronunciation, vocabulary, and syntax that mark a local identity within a broader language context

Etymology: A dialectism is a regional or group-specific feature of speech, and its ancestry runs back to a Greek verb meaning "to converse." The Greek "dialegesthai" combined "dia-", meaning "across" or "between," with "legein," "to speak" or "to pick out," so the original sense was a conversation between people. From this came the Greek noun "dialektos," which meant a manner of speaking or a particular tongue. Latin borrowed it as "dialectus," and French took it up as "dialecte," from which English drew the word "dialect" as a term for a local variety of a language. "Dialectism" is a plain English formation: the noun "dialect" with the suffix "-ism," which in this case names a specific linguistic feature, such as a word, pronunciation, or grammatical form, belonging to a particular dialect. The word is a straightforward modern coinage built from existing parts rather than a classical term carried over unchanged.

Synonyms: regionalisms, localisms, vernacular, idiolect, colloquialisms

Antonyms: standard language, formal language