Nonstandardcolloquial

Nonstandardcolloquial is a term used in linguistics to describe informal, spoken language forms that depart from a prescribed standard grammar and are common in everyday conversation. It is not tied to a single dialect but encompasses nonstandard varieties across regions, communities, and social groups.

Typical features include phonetic reductions, elisions, informal contractions, nonstandard verb forms, and lexical choices that diverge from the standard. It often involves spontaneous syntax, conversational fillers, and regional pronunciations. Examples in English might include habitual be, use of ain’t, reduced consonant clusters, and regional vocabulary. Because orthography varies, transcription often uses phonetic or broad spellings to capture pronunciation and tempo.

Nonstandardcolloquial is distinct from slang or vulgar speech. Slang is a dynamic, recently coined vocabulary; colloquial refers to informal speech in general, while nonstandardcolloquial indicates features that depart from standard grammar or pronunciation but are nonetheless part of everyday usage. Speakers may switch between nonstandardcolloquial and standard forms for identity, audience, or topic. Sociolinguistic factors such as region, age, gender, class, and ethnicity influence its use, and attitudes toward nonstandard forms can affect education, media representation, and language policy.

In research, nonstandardcolloquial terms appear in field studies, speech corpora, and dialectology. Analysts document its patterns, social meaning, and acquisition, while avoiding prescriptive judgments and acknowledging variation within communities.

See also: Standard language; Nonstandard English; Dialect; Sociolect; Register; Slang.