Key Terms Flashcards
(12 cards)
What’s the difference between dialect and accent?
Dialect is the vocabulary and grammar used by a specific region whereas accent is the way these are pronounced
Why is Standard English used?
This dialect is generally the most understood and considered to be of a higher social prestige and so is used by governments, education and written communication
What is a sociolect?
A variety of language associated with a specific social group.
What are the different factors that differ social groups from one another?
Socio-economic status (class)
Age
Gender
Occupation
What’s an idiolect?
An individual’s dialect (many include accent) that combines the words an individual uses and the way they say those words.
Can dialects just be expressed through spoken language?
No, dialect literature such as novels or poems can feature certain regional dialect features too.
Which accent is paired with standard English?
No accent is paired with it
it’s a dialect and so any accent can be used to speak SE
Where did standard English originate?
In 1476, when William Caxton set up the printing press he chose to print with standard English. Samuel Johnson also wrote his dictionary in 1755 which standardised spelling
What is received pronunciation?
The accent associated with a higher social prestige. It doesn’t suggest which region the speaker is from but it can indicate class.
What is David Crystal call RP?
The most widely understood by the most people
How many people use RP?
3%
What is modified RP?
It is mostly RP but with regional features, nowadays it’s more socially accepted to have different accents and is no longer considered the ‘voice of an empire’.
