Defining Language VariationsThere are a handful of ways linguists categorise varieties of language; some definitions refer to word usage and rules, or merely to vocabulary, while others refer to the way language adapts culturally, in broader strokes. All of these terms, however, can cover variations in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Below we’ll look at the following variety terms: Show
Standard / Polite / FormalWe use the terms standard, polite and formal to refer to language that sticks to the rules and is essentially presented as the ‘proper’ form of English. In practice, this is not necessarily practical English, but rather the sort of English we’d expect to see in formal writing or polite situations. Standard English is what is generally taught where possible, but alternative forms may be taught in communities with developed variations. Colloquial / InformalColloquial language is effectively anything that is not formal, often described as ‘spoken’ language. It is informal as the aim is to communicate rather than stick rigidly to rules, so it is where we see contractions and idiomatic language being used. There are countless varieties of this, and it is a blanket term that really covers all of the other terms below. Regional DialectRegional dialects are varieties of language that emerge based on regionally specific use. There are many examples within the UK alone, from the broad differences between the English spoken in the North and South to the more specific, localised dialects, such as those spoken in certain cities, some of which have their own names (with Scouse from Liverpool, Geordie in Newcastle and Brummie in Birmingham to name just a few). Social DialectSocial dialects emerge like dialects, but within a specific class or culture, instead of a region (though they can be further developed to fit certain regions). This may also be referred to as a minority dialect, highlighting the variation is not the predominant use. A major example of this is African American Vernacular English. Lingua FrancaA lingua franca is a common language used between people who speak different languages. As the full purpose is bridging gaps in communication, this can be very adaptable and therefore will not necessarily stick to traditional language rules. English is used as a lingua franca all over the world, more commonly in fact than it is used by native speakers, and in some cases may even be taught in a specific form to fit these needs, rather than as standard English. You can read more about this on Wikipedia here. PidginA pidgin is a simplified version of a lingua franca, where people trying to communicate across different languages develop their own form of communication. Though this technically makes it a lingua franca, it often some from merging two or more languages together rather than as something true to one common language. Pidgins can therefore develop their own vocabulary and rules that can be very independent of the original source languages. CreoleA creole is an established form of pidgin, where a language developed from communicating over two or more languages is taken up by a culture as a native language. Aspects that make a creole different to pidgin or dialects is that it has it will have unique rules with a full range of functions, and may be taught as a mother tongue. Examples of English-developed creoles include Gullah in South Carolina and Georgia and Nigerian Creole. Another interesting example is Louisiana Creole, which derives from French but is used by Americans so may be interspersed with English. VernacularVernacular is the term used to describe language as it is used naturally by a specific people. What it describes can therefore vary depending on what we wish to specify: we could speak about the vernacular of a country or a smaller community within a city, or of a certain time and place (for example, we have a modern vernacular which would include vocabulary that would not be part of the vernacular of, for example, fifty years ago). PatoisPatois is a term used to refer to minority, non-standard use of a language, so this could cover all dialects, creoles and pidgins, but this carries somewhat negative connotations as it implies an inferiority. LingoLingo is a term used to refer to any wording or phrasing that is specific to a certain group, including jargon or slang (see below). Lingo is roughly synonymous with argot and cant, both also referring to the language of specific groups. JargonJargon is the words and phrases that emerge to cover ideas with in a specific community, often when specialist terminology is required (for example technical terms in a profession or sport). In some cases this is necessary, where specialist activities require new terminology, but jargon can also be seen as negative, where it is used to separate others from a conversation or to create a superior appearance (as is commonly associated with business jargon). SlangSimilar to jargon, slang is the language that emerges within a subgroup to describe new ideas, or to assign new words to existing ideas to develop a sense of identity. As with jargon, this can be exclusionary, though while jargon typically refers to specialisms, slang is more typically associated with social groups, for example the language of a younger generation. Extreme forms of slang may be used specifically to disguise conversation, such as rhyming slang. I hope you’ve found this useful; varieties in language are fascinating areas. If you are interested in the development of language, and how it is used differently by different people, I strongly recommend looking into different vernaculars and creoles to see how other people speak. It can help to give you a stronger understanding of the rules of standard language when you see how it works when other people bend them! What word do we use to describe variations in language based on particular activity or occupation?Jargon is a type of language that is used in a particular context and may not be well understood outside that context. The context is usually a particular occupation (that is, a certain trade, profession, or academic field), but any in group can have jargon.
What do we mean by language variation?Sociolinguistics and Language Variation involve the study of how language varies among different groups of speakers and the relationship of this variation to social factors.
What word do we use to discuss variations of a language based on location?dialect, a variety of a language that signals where a person comes from. The notion is usually interpreted geographically (regional dialect), but it also has some application in relation to a person's social background (class dialect) or occupation (occupational dialect).
What are the different variation of language?"There are two types of language variation: linguistic and sociolinguistic. With linguistic variation, the alternation between elements is categorically constrained by the linguistic context in which they occur.
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