Distinction between a language and a dialect. And the history of standardized languages.
The difference between language and dialect has fascinated linguists, historians, and travelers for centuries. For example, the speech heard around Bremen in Germany and Interlaken in Switzerland shows how even varieties of German can feel foreign to each other.
Similarly, outside of China, Mandarin and Cantonese are often referred to as Chinese dialects. But they’re even more dissimilar than Spanish and Italian. On the other hand, speakers of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, which are recognized as three distinct languages, can usually communicate in their native tongues with little difficulty. And the Turkish language soap opera, broadcast without dubbing or subtitles, are some of the most popular shows in Azeri-speaking Azerbaijan.
Understanding the Difference Between Language and Dialect
The degree of mutual intelligibility often seems to decide whether two ways of speaking are separate languages or dialects. Yet there are many occasions where this rule does not apply. Perhaps surprisingly, he difference between language and dialect is often less about pronunciation or vocabulary and more about politics and identity. The basis for what’s officially deemed a language was shaped by the emergence of a European nation states beginning around the 1500s.
How Politics Shapes the Difference Between Language and Dialect
In order to establish and maintain centralized governments, clear territorial boundaries, and state-sponsored education system, may nation states promoted the standardized language. Many nation states promoted standardized languages to maintain centralized governments and clear territorial boundaries. Naming itself gets standardized, see how the months got their names to trace authority, culture, and language in action. Which form of speech was chosen to be the standard language was usually based on what people spoke in the capital. And while other forms of speech persisted, they were often treated as inferior.
Historical Examples of Language Standardization
This tradition spread worldwide with European colonization and into modern times. Italy alone has at least 15 regional dialects. One of them, the Florentine dialect, became Standard Italian when the country unified in 1861. It was chosen because authors like Dante and Machiavelli used it in their works, and it came to represent an image of Italian identity that many found desirable.
Later, in building a unified fascist state, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini made language standardization a key goal. His government promoted standard Italian and banned other forms of speech, labeling them backward and unsophisticated.
Modern Impact of the Difference Between Language and Dialect
In job applications and court testimonies, standard languages often act as gatekeepers. A 1999 study showed landlords judged apartment inquiries by the speech used. Callers using African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) were more likely to face rejection. Those using Standard American English, often linked to whiteness, got better responses.
Both are considered English dialects. In the U.S., some label AAVE as an incorrect or simplified form of mainstream English. But AAVE has consistent grammar as sophisticated as other English forms. Linguists often avoid the word “dialect” and prefer “varieties,” seeing languages as groups of varieties.
So the English language is made up of varieties including Standard British and American English, AAVE, Indian English, Malaysian English, and many others. Each has its own unique history and characteristic pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammatical structures. But the dividing line between varieties is murky.
Why the Difference Between Language and Dialect Remains Complex
Human language, in all its cross-pollinating, ever-evolving glory, naturally resists the impulse to sort it into neat buckets. Oftentimes, forms of speech exist on a kind of linguistic continuum where they overlap with others, and the difference between them are gradual-not clear cut. And that’s the confounding beauty of the dynamic, diverse, and dazzling universe of human communication.
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