What is meant by dialect continuum?
A dialect continuum or dialect chain is a series of language varieties spoken across some geographical area such that neighboring varieties are mutually intelligible, but the differences accumulate over distance so that widely separated varieties may not be.
How standard dialect is determined?
Standard languages arise when a certain dialect begins to be used in written form, normally throughout a broader area than that of the dialect itself. The ways in which this language is used—e.g., in administrative matters, literature, and economic life—lead to the minimization of linguistic variation.
What is an example of Isogloss?
The definition of an isogloss is a line on a map that marks the boundary between areas where language features are different. An example of an isogloss is the line on a map that shows the division of two populations which have different pronunciations for a a specific vowel. Such a line indicated on a map.
What is continuum in sociolinguistics?
In sociolinguistics, a language continuum is said to exist when two or more different languages or dialects merge one into the other without a definable boundary. This happens, for example, across large parts of India.
What is an example of standard language?
In that vein, a pluricentric language has interacting standard varieties; examples are English, French, and Portuguese, German, Korean, and Serbo-Croatian, Spanish and Swedish, Armenian and Mandarin Chinese; whereas monocentric languages, such as Russian and Japanese, have one standardized idiom.
What causes dialect Levelling?
Dialect levelling is triggered by contact between dialects, often because of migration, and it has been observed in most languages with large numbers of speakers after the industrialisation and the modernisation of the area or areas in which they are spoken.
Is standard language more prestigious than non standard language?
However, the differences between them are that standardized dialect is considered to be more prestigious, and is applied in wider area compared with the non standard dialect. Dialects are acquired through the daily conversation, through other people who are involved in a talk.
How is standard language achieved?
A standard language is developed from related dialects, either by social action (ethnic and cultural unification) to elevate a given dialect, such as that used in culture and in government, or by defining the norms of standard language with selected linguistic features drawn from the existing dialects.
What is isoglosses and dialect boundaries?
Isogloss: it is a term used for a line drawn on a dialect map which marks off an area which uses a particular variant from another neighbouring area which uses a different variant. Dialect boundaries: when a number of isoglosses come together a more solid line can be drawn, which indicates a dialect boundary.
Is Chicago an isogloss?
Thus, some native speakers of English pronounce /r/ after a vowel, as in barn, hard, car, while others do not: in the US this postvocalic /r/ is normally present in the Chicago area but absent in the Boston area. Such distinct areas are isoglosses.
What are 4 characteristics of standard English?
Standard english has distinctive features of grammar, vocabulary and orthography (spelling&punctuation) but not of pronunciation. This is because it can be spoken with any accent. It is the most prestigious variety of English, associated with people of high social status.
Why is it important that we use a standard language?
Standard language is important because it represents a distinction within a language that can indicate social class or upbringing.
What is an example of a Germanic dialect continuum?
North Germanic continuum. The Germanic languages and dialects of Scandinavia are a classic example of a dialect continuum, from Swedish dialects in Finland, to Swedish, Gutnish, Elfdalian, Scanian, Danish, Norwegian ( Bokmål and Nynorsk ), Faroese, Icelandic, with many local dialects of those languages.
What is the difference between Standard Dutch and Standard German?
Standard Dutch (based on the dialects of the principal Brabantic and Hollandic cities) and Standard German (originating at the chanceries of Meissen and Vienna) are not closely linked with regard to their ancestral dialects and hence do not show a high degree of mutual intelligibility when spoken and only partially so when written.
Is Abstandsprache a dialect of a language?
According to the Ausbausprache – Abstandsprache – Dachsprache paradigm, these dialects can be considered Abstandsprachen. However, they can be seen as dialects of a single language, provided that a common standard language, through which communication is possible, exists.
