{"id":3941,"date":"2020-11-18T11:52:06","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T19:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/?p=3941"},"modified":"2021-04-07T16:53:22","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T23:53:22","slug":"dialect-vs-accent-differences-and-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/dialect-vs-accent-differences-and-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"Dialect vs. Accent: Definitions, Similarities, & Differences"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever visited another country, you\u2019ve probably heard some form of English accent or dialect that sounded foreign to your ears. You may have even had difficulty understanding what someone was saying because of their accent or dialect! There are roughly <\/span>20 recognized accents in the United States alone<\/span><\/a>, with dozens more localized varieties, to say nothing of other countries and cultures. In any case, this raises an important question that even befuddles (confuses) many native English speakers. <\/span>Dialect vs. accent: what’s the difference?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

In this article, we will define both terms and help you understand the primary differences between accent and dialect. We will also provide additional resources to expose you to some of the most interesting English accents and dialects in the world!<\/span><\/p>\n

Dialect Definition<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To understand the similarities and differences between dialect and accent, we must first define both terms. \u201cDialect\u201d is defined as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

A form of language or speech pattern that is specific to a particular region or group of people.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Based on this definition, you may think that \u201cdialect\u201d and \u201clanguage\u201d share many similarities. In fact, you\u2019re right! That said, it\u2019s easiest to think of dialect as a subset (a smaller part) of a language. For example, you might say that the official language of the United States is English, but people living in certain areas \u2014 Chicago, for example \u2014 have unique dialects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the definition above states, dialect is not limited to geographical location. People can often have a specific dialect based on certain group identification, like ethnicity or social status. For example, one unique dialect in the United States is Gullah, which is unique to small groups of African Americans on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. This dialect actually blends English with more than a dozen West African languages. If you\u2019re interested, you can listen to a story told in the Gullah dialect<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

Accent Definition<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Differentiating dialect vs. accent requires an understanding of both terms. So, let’s take a closer look at the definition of accent. \u201cAccent\u201d can be defined as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

A unique mode of pronunciation within a given language that is specific to a country, region, or social class.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This definition shows that, just like dialect, accent can be specific to different regions or groups of people. However, an accent is not as similar to \u201clanguage,” due to the fact that accent is inherently linked to pronunciation. You can classify accents based on the way that people pronounce different words.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, one famous (albeit rare) accent in English is the Mid-Atlantic accent, also known as the Transatlantic accent. As the name implies, the Mid-Atlantic accent combines elements of American and British English \u2014 like a language stuck in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean! One of the most famous people to have this accent was Cary Grant<\/a>, the English-born American actor who starred in some of the most popular films of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dialect vs. Accent: What’s the Difference?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So, now you know the definitions of dialect and accent, which also means that you probably feel a little confused! The truth is that there is some cross-over between the two terms. They both refer to specific ways of speaking a language that can vary by region or social group. To make things even more confusing, most native English speakers use the terms interchangeably.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, there are some very important distinctions. So, let\u2019s take a look at how <\/span>accent<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>dialect<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>language<\/span><\/i> relate to one another:<\/span><\/p>\n

Language<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193<\/span><\/p>\n

Dialect<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u2193\u2193\u2193\u2193<\/span><\/p>\n

Accent<\/span><\/h4>\n

As you can see, <\/span>language<\/span><\/i> is the biggest term. It encompasses both the concept of dialect<\/em> and accent<\/em>. Languages include English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and hundreds of other examples.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, you have <\/span>dialect<\/span><\/i>. A dialect is a form of speaking a certain language. This can refer to a specific form of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Often times, <\/span>language<\/span><\/i> refers to the \u201cstandard\u201d or official form of a language, while <\/span>dialect<\/span><\/i> refers to one of many \u201cnon-standard\u201d forms of a language.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, you have <\/span>accent<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>Accent<\/span><\/i> refers to the way in which words of a given language are pronounced. Thus, <\/span>accent<\/span><\/i> is merely a part of <\/span>dialect<\/span><\/i>. To return to the image above, <\/span>accent<\/span><\/i> is the smallest category. It falls within the limits of <\/span>dialect<\/span><\/i>, while both terms fall within the limits of <\/span>language<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Examples of Accent and Dialect<\/h2>\n

Needless to say, accent and dialect are somewhat abstract concepts. However, they do have precise definitions, allowing anyone to identify and sort them. For example, two contrasting dialects in British English are the Scottish dialect and the Welsh dialect. Scotland\u2019s form of English has been influenced by the Gaelic language that preceded English in the country. Similarly, Wales has its own language (Welsh) that influences the English spoken by the people of Wales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While these dialects are easy to identify, things get a little more complicated in American English. Generally speaking, the different forms of English in the United States are mostly categorized as accents, because grammar and vocabulary do not differ significantly in different regions. However, the pronunciation of words changes drastically based on the region of origin, ethnicity, and social status of the American speaker.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To make things even more complicated, many American accents can be subdivided into even smaller categories. For example, the quintessential \u201csouthern\u201d accent has many forms. The southern accent of Louisiana differs greatly from the southern accent of Georgia. You can break it down even further by evaluating the accents of specific cities or social groups in these regions. In short, there are thousands of accents in the English language!<\/span><\/p>\n

Dialect vs. Accent: Synonyms and Related Terms<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Now that we know that dialect refers to a specific form of a language while accent refers to a specific way of pronouncing words, it\u2019s time to look at some synonyms and related terms. In addition to dialect vs. accent, there are a few other comparisons that cause confusion:<\/span><\/p>\n