dialectal

Variant of dialect

dialect definition

dia·lect (ə lekt′)

noun

  1. the sum total of local characteristics of speech
  2. Rare the sum total of an individual's characteristics of speech; idiolect
  3. popularly any form of speech considered as deviating from a real or imaginary standard speech
  4. Linguis.
    1. a form or variety of a spoken language, including the standard form, peculiar to a region, community, social group, occupational group, etc.: in this sense, dialects are regarded as being, to some degree, mutually intelligible while languages are not mutually intelligible
    2. any language as a member of a group or family of languages English is a West Germanic dialect

Etymology: L dialectus < Gr dialektos, discourse, discussion, dialect < dialegesthai, to discourse, talk < dia, between (see dia-) + legein, to choose, talk (see logic)

adjective

of or in a dialect dialect ballads

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.