Varietäten

Varietäten is the plural form of Varietät, a German term used across disciplines to denote distinct, inheritable forms or versions of a species, category, or object. The exact meaning varies by field, but the underlying idea is the same: a differentiating variant that can be recognized and described.

In linguistics, Varietäten refers to language varieties—systematic forms of a language associated with factors such as region, social group, or context. This includes dialects, sociolects, standard or prestige varieties, and registers or jargon. Language varieties are studied in variationist sociolinguistics, and researchers examine how pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary vary and how speakers use different varieties to signal identity, social meaning, or stance.

In biology and taxonomy, Varietät denotes a rank below species, most commonly used in botany to describe a morphologically distinct variant of a species. Examples include Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower) and var. capitata (cabbage). The use and interpretation of variety differ among codes; some taxonomic traditions prefer 'var.' to indicate a botanical variety, separate from subspecies. Varieties are typically more geographically or ecologically differentiated than the main population, and they may interbreed with the main stock.

In horticulture, the term variety is widely used to designate a cultivated line with stable, heritable traits selected by humans. Such cultivated varieties are usually called cultivars, and they are propagated to preserve their distinctive characteristics. The linguistic concept of variety and the biological concept of variety share the core idea of heritable difference, but they operate with different criteria and conventions.