In yesterday’s post, we talked about some of the small changes in the meanings of words that might lead to larger problems when what you’re saying is not necessarily the same thing as what the other person is hearing. However, word meanings are not the only difference. Pronunciation and word choice change as well, and you sometimes have to adjust your ears to the local dialect. A dialect is a way of speaking a particular language that is specific to a certain group of people due to differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and/or grammar. People who live in Yorkshire and people who live in Texas will probably have difficulties understanding each other, even though they’re each speaking English. In general, a dialect can be thought of as a “flavor” of the parent language.

Speaking of dialect, we got this comment on last month’s post about the “correct” way to pronounce words in English:

How can you overlook the American Dialect Society? It’s small, but has existed since 1889. It has academics as members, and announces the “Word of the Year”. It’s everything the Queen’s English Society wishes it could be! The Shaw quote, hilarious though it may be, cites language as the estranging factor between US and British speakers, but I think attitudes are more important. Imagining that there could be only “one correct way” of speaking (usually: “my way”) shows a faulty understanding of how language works and develops; some people (*cough* Queen’s English Society) take this to extremes. They’re not endorsed by the Queen, by the way. Their name is ambiguous due to poor English.

The reader makes an excellent point about attitude and how important it is to realize that languages are constantly evolving, and that there’s a difference between something that’s ungrammatical and incorrect – or at least what the majority of grammarians can agree is so – and something that just follows different rules due to the era, the location, or tradition. Students are taught that it ain’t is an incorrect way to say it is not, but there are many regions where this language is accepted, and in fact this shortened form has been around for hundreds of years. Something may be heaps good in Australia, but that expression might not be understood by the average American. That same American might mention to his visiting English friend that he’d be late to the party because the dishes need washed, and the Englishman might conclude that his friend didn’t need to go to the party, as he was already having difficulty speaking!

We were also reminded that although we did mention in an earlier post that the American Dialect Society was going to announce their 2010 Word of the Year, we never checked back to see what their final decision was. They decided that app (short for “software application”) deserved that honor, and with the proliferation of programs available for everything from your phone to your refrigerator that’s certainly a good call.

We appreciate your feedback, and hope that you’ll continue to discuss the English language with us. If you have any topics you’d like us to cover, please let us know!