English dialects

English dialects are regional and social varieties of English that differ in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary while remaining forms of the same language.

Accent: A pattern of pronunciation associated with a speaker or group. Accent is one dimension of dialect; it covers pronunciation but not grammar or vocabulary.
African American English: A systematic English variety associated with many African American communities in the United States. Its grammatical and phonological patterns illustrate a socially rooted English dialect.
Old English: The earliest recorded stage of the English language, spoken in Britain before the Norman Conquest. Its regional dialects form the historical starting point for later English variation.
Linguistic discrimination: Unequal treatment based on a person's language, accent, or dialect. Speakers of nonstandard English varieties can face prejudice in institutions and daily life.
Sociolect: A language variety associated with a social group. Sociolects show how class, age, and community shape English beyond regional geography.
Appalachian English: A group of English varieties associated with the Appalachian region of the United States. Its regional vocabulary and grammar show variation within American English.
Middle English: The stage of English used roughly from the late eleventh through the fifteenth centuries. Its regional forms expanded as English changed after the Norman Conquest.
Prescriptivism: The approach that prescribes rules for language use, often distinguishing correct from incorrect forms. Prescriptive judgments often privilege standard English over other dialects.
Isogloss: A geographic boundary marking the distribution of a linguistic feature. Isoglosses map where particular English dialect features change across regions.
Australian English: The varieties of English used in Australia, with distinctive pronunciation, vocabulary, and usage. It demonstrates how national histories produce recognizable English varieties.

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