Regional accents and dialects key terms Flashcards
accent
distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associate with a particular country
regional dialect
form of language unique to a geographical area
sociolect
variation of a language associated with a particular social group or community
Received pronunciation
accent that is prestigious, standard and is also known as BBC English, King/Queen English
standard english
form of english language widely accepted as the standard dialect
overt prestige
standard and formal language features express power + status
covert prestige
prestige given to non standard language or dialects within a specific group
Prescriptivism
the view that there is a right and a wrong way to speak a language and that there are certain correct forms that should be used
descriptivism
a linguistic approach which focuses on language as it is, rather than how it should be - all types of language/dialect are acceptable
idiolect
an individuals unique use of language, including speech
linguicism
discrimination of people based on their language use of the qualities of their speech
accomodation (giles’ accommodation theory
the process of adapting one’s speech to make it more or less similar to that of other participants in a conversation
convergence (giles’ accommodation theory)
when a person’s speech patterns become more like those of the other person in a conversation (lower status speakers tend to accomodate to higher status speakers)
divergence (giles’ accommodation theory)
when a person’s speech patterns become more individualised and less like those of the other person in a conversation
upwards (giles’ accommodation theory)
when applied to convergence/divergence, movement to the standard
dialecticism
discrimination on the basis of language use
