Distinguishing Language, Dialect and Variety

Files

MUHAMMAD MUSTAPHA (2018) - Distinguishing Language, Dialect and Variety (Published_Festchrift_NSUK).pdf (421.15 KB)

Date

2018-01-26

Authors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Department of English language Nasarawa State University Keffi

Abstract

This paper is a descriptive exploration of the various dialects and varieties of a language. It takes the reader briefly back to the concept of language through some various definitions and conceptual explications of language, and draws the reader down to the main issues raised in the paper. The paper thus attempts to offer some clarifications on the terms language, dialect and variety as integral parts of interrelated concepts in communicative situation. It therefore tries to make distinctions on how language differs from dialect and how dialect differs from variety. The paper again, through a number of typologies drawn, attempts to provide and discuss some factors believed to be responsible for the spread of varieties across languages, and tries to justify how new languages spring up or emerge from varieties of languages.

Description

Keywords

Citation

Anagbogu, N. Philip, Mbah, B. N. and Ene A. Cecilia. Introduction to Linguistics. Awka: Amaka Dreams Ltd., 2010. Print. Aronoff, Mark, William, O’Grady, Archibal, John and Rees-Miller Jane (eds.) Contemporary Linguistics. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2001. Print. Bloch, B. and Trager, G. L. Outline of Linguistic Analysis. Baltimore: Linguistic Society of America/Waverly Press, 1942. Print. Bloomfield, Leonard. Language. India (Reprint): Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1995. Print. Chomsky, Noam; Marc, D. Hauser and Fitch, W. Tecumseh. The Faculty of Language: Who has it and How did it Evolve? Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print. Christopher, S. Butler. Structure and Function: A Guide to Three Major Structural-Functional Theories. U.K.: John Benjamin’s Publishing Company, 2003. Print. Cruttenden, Allan (ed.) Gimson’s Pronunciation of English (6th ed.), revised and edited version of A.C. Gimson’s original book. London: Edward Arnold, 2001. Print. Crystal, David. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (2nd ed.). Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd, 1985. Print. Ferguson, C. A. Language Structure and Language Use. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1971. Print. Hall, R. A. An Essay on Language. Philadelphia and New York: Chilton Books, 1968. Print

URI

https://keffi.nsuk.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14448/3248

Collections

Articles