In order to understand how language variation descriptors are used, we first must understand what language .
variation is. We can say that the U.S. is linguistically diverse because of the multitude of languages spoken here, .
but we can also find diversity within these languages. All languages have both dialectical variations and registral .
variations. These variations, or dialects, can differ in lexicon, phonology, and/or syntax from the Standard .
Language that we often think of as correct Language, although they are not necessarily less proper than, say, .
Standard English. It depends on where, by whom, and in what situation the dialect is used as to whether or not it .
is appropriate.
Most people are familiar with regional dialects, such as Boston, Brooklyn, or Southern. These types of .
variations usually occur because of immigration and settlement patterns. People tend to seek out others like .
themselves. Regional variations tend to become more pronounced as the speech community is more isolated by .
physical geography, i.e. mountain ranges, rivers. Linguists have done extensive studies on regional dialects, .
producing detailed Linguistic Atlases. Many linguists can tell where a person is from just by knowing whether a .
person carries groceries home from the supermarket in a paper bag or from the grocery store in a paper sack (Yule .
184). And the person who comes home from the supermarket with a paper sack serves to remind us that .
language variation is not a discrete, but rather a continuous variable. Characteristics of the dialect are more .
pronounced in the center of the speech community and tend to be less discernible at the outer boundaries, where .
they often overlap other regional dialects.
Within, and between, these regional variations we find the social dialects. The primary social factors that .
influence dialects are class, education, occupation, ethnicity, sex, and age (Ferguson 52, Yule 191).
We were always taught to do our best, for this reason, by the time we had reached the third grade we were already speaking Enlgish, and in mainstream classes. Then we were in the seventh grade, we were well past the English barrier and were on our way to mastering the language. ...
