Of accents & dialects (was: Azurian phonology)

Benct Philip Jonsson wrote:
>> Ämne: Re: [CONLANG] Azurian phonology
>> Från: Lars Finsen <lars.finsen@...>
[snip]
>> I'm trying to work my way through this. I assume
>> you are using 'accent' as a synonym for dialect,
>> aren't you?
>
> Yes, as is customary in English.
No, no - that's not correct. If we say someone's speaking with a French
or German accent, we don't mean that they're speaking some peculiar
_dialect_ of English used by the French or by Germans! We mean that
their pronunciation of English is marked by the phonological habits of
their own L1.


Similarly, if we say someone is speaking with a certain regional accent,
we mean that the person is speaking more or less standard English with a
phonology characteristic of that region. That phonology will be similar
too, tho not necessarily exactly the same as, the phonology of the
regional dialect of that area (_if_ such a dialect still survives -
regional accents live on after dialect has gone).

But if we say someone is speaking a regional dialect, it means that not
only is the phonology peculiar to that area but that the person is also
using grammar (both syntax and morphology) which differs from standard
English and that there will be differences in vocabulary also e.g.
'bairn' instead of 'child').

It may be a peculiar use of the word 'accent', but it ain't synonymous
with 'dialect'.  The latter involves much more than a difference of accent.

--
Ray
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