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Dialect vs. Idiom — What's the Difference?

Dialect vs. Idiom — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Dialect and Idiom

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Dialect

The term dialect (from Latin dialectus, dialectos, from the Ancient Greek word διάλεκτος, diálektos 'discourse', from διά, diá 'through' and λέγω, légō 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of linguistic phenomena: a variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. Under this definition, the dialects or varieties of a particular language are closely related and are often mutually intelligible, especially if close to one another on the dialect continuum.

Idiom

An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.

Dialect

A particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group
The Lancashire dialect seemed like a foreign language

Idiom

A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g. over the moon, see the light).

Dialect

A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists
Cockney is a dialect of English.
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Idiom

A characteristic mode of expression in music or art
They were both working in a neo-impressionist idiom

Dialect

A variety of language that with other varieties constitutes a single language of which no single variety is standard
The dialects of Ancient Greek.

Idiom

A speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as in keep tabs on.

Dialect

The language peculiar to the members of a group, especially in an occupation; jargon
The dialect of science.

Idiom

The specific grammatical, syntactic, and structural character of a given language.

Dialect

The manner or style of expressing oneself in language or the arts.

Idiom

Regional speech or dialect.

Dialect

A language considered as part of a larger family of languages or a linguistic branch. Not in scientific use
Spanish and French are Romance dialects.

Idiom

A specialized vocabulary used by a group of people; jargon
Legal idiom.

Dialect

A lect (often a regional or minority language) as part of a group or family of languages, especially if they are viewed as a single language, or if contrasted with a standardized idiom that is considered the 'true' form of the language (for example, Cantonese as contrasted with Mandarin Chinese or Bavarian as contrasted with Standard German).

Idiom

A style of artistic expression characteristic of a particular individual, school, period, or medium
The idiom of the French impressionists.
The punk rock idiom.

Dialect

A variety of a language that is characteristic of a particular area, community, or social group, differing from other varieties of the same language in relatively minor ways as regards grammar, phonology, and lexicon.

Idiom

A manner of speaking, a mode of expression peculiar to a language, language family, or group of people.
In English, idiom requires the indefinite article in a phrase such as "she's an engineer", whereas in Spanish, idiom forbids it.
Some of the usage prescriptions improved clarity and were kept; others that yielded discordant violations of idiom were eventually revised.

Dialect

(pejorative) Language that is perceived as substandard or wrong.

Idiom

(programming) A programming construct or phraseology that is characteristic of the language.

Dialect

A language existing only in an oral or non-standardized form, especially a language spoken in a developing country or an isolated region.

Idiom

A language or language variety; specifically, a restricted dialect used in a given historical period, context etc.
In the idiom of the day, they were sutlers, although today they'd probably be called vendors.

Dialect

A variant of a non-standardized programming language.
Home computers in the 1980s had many incompatible dialects of BASIC.

Idiom

An established phrasal expression whose meaning may not be deducible from the literal meanings of its component words.
She often spoke in idioms, pining for salad days and complaining about pots calling the kettle black.

Dialect

(ornithology) A variant form of the vocalizations of a bird species restricted to a certain area or population.

Idiom

An artistic style (for example, in art, architecture, or music); an instance of such a style.
The idiom of the expressionists

Dialect

Means or mode of expressing thoughts; language; tongue; form of speech.
This book is writ in such a dialectAs may the minds of listless men affect.Bunyan.The universal dialect of the world.

Idiom

The syntactical or structural form peculiar to any language; the genius or cast of a language.
Idiom may be employed loosely and figuratively as a synonym of language or dialect, but in its proper sense it signifies the totality of the general rules of construction which characterize the syntax of a particular language and distinguish it from other tongues.
By idiom is meant the use of words which is peculiar to a particular language.
He followed their language [the Latin], but did not comply with the idiom of ours.

Dialect

The form of speech of a limited region or people, as distinguished from ether forms nearly related to it; a variety or subdivision of a language; speech characterized by local peculiarities or specific circumstances; as, the Ionic and Attic were dialects of Greece; the Yorkshire dialect; the dialect of the learned.
In the midst of this Babel of dialects there suddenly appeared a standard English language.
[Charles V.] could address his subjects from every quarter in their native dialect.

Idiom

An expression conforming or appropriate to the peculiar structural form of a language.
Some that with care true eloquence shall teach,And to just idioms fix our doubtful speech.

Dialect

The usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people;
The immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English
He has a strong German accent

Idiom

A combination of words having a meaning peculiar to itself and not predictable as a combination of the meanings of the individual words, but sanctioned by usage; as, an idiomatic expression; less commonly, a single word used in a peculiar sense.
It is not by means of rules that such idioms as the following are made current: "I can make nothing of it." "He treats his subject home." Dryden. "It is that within us that makes for righteousness." M. Arnold.
Sometimes we identify the words with the object - though by courtesy of idiom rather than in strict propriety of language.

Idiom

The phrase forms peculiar to a particular author; as, written in his own idiom.
Every good writer has much idiom.

Idiom

Dialect; a variant form of a language.

Idiom

A manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language

Idiom

The usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people;
The immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English
He has a strong German accent

Idiom

The style of a particular artist or school or movement;
An imaginative orchestral idiom

Idiom

An expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up

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