Linguistics Lecture: Language vs. Dialect

Overview

• Key Issue: Differentiating between language, dialect, and varieties.
• Objective: Explore problem cases, define criteria for languages, and understand dialects.

Problem Cases

1. Dutch and German

• Example: "The North Wind and the Sun" in Dutch
  • Native German speakers typically do not understand spoken Dutch, though some written words may be recognizable.
  • Native Dutch speakers often understand German, highlighting a directionality issue in intelligibility.

2. Chinese Varieties

• Standard Mandarin: Example phrase provided in Mandarin.
• Intelligibility Test:
  • Some Chinese varieties are understandable to Mandarin speakers, others are not, despite a shared writing system.
• Key Point: Phonology differs significantly even with a common script.

3. Jamaican Creole

• Often considered a variety of English.
• Tested mutual intelligibility with native English speakers.
  • Result: Many native English speakers do not understand Jamaican Creole textfully.

Issues with Mutual Intelligibility

• Directionality: Understanding one way but not the reverse.
• Levels of Intelligibility:
  • Speech vs. Writing
  • Lexis vs. Syntax
  • Degrees of understanding between languages (e.g., Scandinavian languages can understand each other to some extent).
• Conclusion: Mutual intelligibility alone isn't sufficient to define a language.

Criteria for Defining Languages

1. Standardization

   • Development of grammar, spelling rules, dictionaries, and literature.

2. Vitality

   • Existence of a living community of speakers, distinguishing living languages from dead ones.

3. Autonomy

   • Language feels distinct; subjective and often matters of degree.

4. Reduction

   • Reduced written standards or functions in society; examples given of Cockney English.

5. Norms

   • Standards of 'good' or 'bad' language use; prescriptive rules illustrate this.

6. History & Culture

   • Historical development and cultural context of a language.

Varieties and Dialects

• Types:
  • Regional, Social, and Phonological

Regional Dialects

• Example: Scottish vs. English speakers.
• Feature: Pronunciation of the post-vocalic 'r'.
  • Varied pronunciations in Australia, England, North America.

Social Dialects

• Influenced by social factors such as role, relationship, and topic.

Phonological Dialects

• Example: Received Pronunciation vs. North American English.
• Feature: Differences in accent, such as class pronunciation.

Conclusion

• The distinctions between types of dialects can be blurry.
• A dialect continuum may be a reasonable concept for understanding these complexities.