dialecte

Dialecte refers to a regional or social variety of a language that is characteristic of a specific community. A dialect can show differences in pronunciation (phonology), grammar (syntax), vocabulary (lexicon), and even idiomatic usage. Dialects arise from historical separation, geographic distance, social networks, and contact with other languages or dialects, and they can coexist with a standard or prestige variety within a speech community.

The distinction between dialecte and language is not purely linguistic. While many dialects are mutually intelligible with the standard form of their language, others are not, and political, cultural, and identity factors often determine whether a speech variety is labeled a dialect or a language. Dialects can form continua, where neighboring varieties blend into one another across regions, with clear boundaries sometimes marked by isoglosses in dialect geography.

Dialecte is studied in fields such as dialectology and sociolinguistics, where researchers map regional features, analyze social variation, and examine how power, education, and media influence which forms are valued or stigmatized. Key concepts include standardization, diglossia, dialect leveling, and prestige dialects, as well as the differences between regional dialects, sociolects, and idiolects—the unique speech pattern of an individual.

Despite prevalence of standard languages in education and formal domains, dialecte continues to reflect identity, culture, and community, persisting in everyday speech, literature, and media across the world.