DIALECT


Meaning of DIALECT in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈdī-ə-ˌlekt ]

noun

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle French dialecte, from Latin dialectus, from Greek dialektos conversation, dialect, from dialegesthai to converse — more at dialogue

Date: 1577

1.

a. : a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language

the Doric dialect of ancient Greek

b. : one of two or more cognate languages

French and Italian are Romance dialect s

c. : a variety of a language used by the members of a group

such dialect s as politics and advertising — Philip Howard

d. : a variety of language whose identity is fixed by a factor other than geography (as social class)

spoke a rough peasant dialect

e. : register 4c

f. : a version of a computer programming language

2. : manner or means of expressing oneself : phraseology

• di·a·lec·tal ˌdī-ə-ˈlek-t ə l adjective

• di·a·lec·tal·ly -tə-lē adverb

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.