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“A language is a dialect with an army and navy” – Max Weinreich
In his quote, the famous linguist highlights the role of political and social power in shaping the distinction between dialects and languages.
But what defines a dialect and a language? And how can businesses navigate this complex field?
This blog will explore the key differences between languages and dialects and how understanding these distinctions is crucial for global business success.
Language vs Dialect: A Closer Look
What Is a Language?
A language consists of words, their pronunciation, and the rules that bring them together. It serves as a tool for communication within a community.
This is the dictionary definition of a language.
What Is a Dialect?
As for dialects, dictionaries define them as regional varieties of a language.
This variety has distinct features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. And there can be more than one variety for a language.
Mutual Intelligibility
In linguistics, mutual intelligibility refers to the relationship between two language varieties where speakers can understand each other without prior exposure or special effort.
For example, an American and a British English speaker can typically communicate despite differences in vocabulary and pronunciation.
But mutual intelligibility does not always apply within dialects.
Consider Mandarin and Cantonese: both are Chinese dialects, but they’re so different that the speaker of one dialect would not understand the other without prior knowledge.
Interestingly, mutual intelligibility can sometimes exist between entirely separate languages. Slavic languages like the Macedonian and Bulgarian languages are mutually intelligible, similar to Spanish and Portuguese. Even English and Scots share some degree of mutual intelligibility.
In other words, mutual intelligibility is not a reliable criterion to distinguish between dialects and languages.
How Do Dialects Emerge?
Geographic Dialects: How Location Shapes Language
The main reason dialects evolve is geography.
If the speakers of a certain language are spread out over different locations, each group will likely develop their own accent, language rules, and patterns.
For example, Spanish in Spain is very different from that in Latin America. One of the main differences is pronunciation: in Spain, z usually sounds like th, but in Latin America, z sounds like s.
Egyptian Arabic sounds different from the Arabic dialect in the Levant region. The word “now” in colloquial Egyptian is delwa’ti and in Lebanese it’s hala’.
Social Dialects: Language Within Communities
Social groups are another factor in the emergence of dialects.
Just like when you hang out with a group of friends for a while and develop your own vocabulary and inside jokes, the same happens on a bigger scope.
Communities within the same region can develop their own way of speaking over time.
Groups that mix between English and Spanish speak a language variety called Spanglish, spoken in some areas in the US, Puerto Rico, and New Mexico.
African Americans have their own dialect as well; it’s called African American Vernacular English (AAVE). It is spoken by working and middle-class African Americans and is mostly used in social contexts.
However, in formal contexts, they can switch to speaking in standard English.
In England, different social classes have different dialects. Cockney English is used by the working class, known for its rhyming slang.
“Posh” English, received pronunciation (RP), and the Queen’s English are all terms that describe the standard British accent and it is associated with the upper and middle classes in England.
Dialectal Differences in Communication
The more dialects stray away from each other and formulate their own rules and accents, the more it affects mutual understanding between their speakers.
The size of the United States, combined with its diverse population shaped by waves of immigration, has resulted in a wide variety of dialects and accents across the country.
The Southern or the country accent is spoken in states like Virginia and Tennessee. There are also the Boston, Hawaiian, and California accents.
The linguistic diversity in the U.S. can lead to significant cultural and communication gaps.
- In professional settings, there’s often an expectation to use the standard or widely recognized dialect in the workplace.
- Speaking a lesser-known dialect can create language barriers, potentially hindering career growth and opportunities.
- In casual communication, individuals with distinct dialects or languages may struggle to connect with groups that primarily use the standard dialect.
- This can lead to miscommunication and social isolation.
Bridging Dialectal Gaps
People can overcome these challenges through education, technology, and media.
With short videos and reels being the most consumed form of media nowadays, a lot of content creators seize the chance to educate people on the different accents and dialects in their region.
Movies are also a great way to understand different cultural backgrounds.
Streaming platforms now make use of technology to subtitle content for a variety of audiences.
By offering translation, subtitling, and transcription for languages and their different dialects, they streamline their businesses by catering to a wider audience.
A successful example is Netflix, which won over the Middle Eastern market by providing content in Egyptian Arabic, Levantine Arabic, and Arabic spoken in the Gulf region.
Why the Line between Language and Dialect Isn’t Clear
- Sociopolitical Factors
The lines between languages and dialects become blurry because a language in the first place is a dialect that was chosen to be the standard.
But what makes a dialect gain that status?
Mainly because this dialect has “an army and a navy,” like Weinreich described.
That means that social and political power has a great influence in making a dialect a “language,” while causing other existing dialects to be given a more inferior status.
- Cultural Considerations
Another thing that makes distinctions between languages and dialects hard is cultural differences. People from across the world can speak the same language but have no common cultural background.
Take for example people in the US and South Africa; they both speak English, but they have no cultural connections.
On the other hand, people in Scandinavian countries share a strong common cultural background although they speak different languages.
- Standardized Languages
Standardized languages favor and give the upper hand to a certain dialect.
But that does not mean that it cancels out other dialects. People continue to speak the language they use in their communities regardless.
Power plays an important role in language recognition and standardization. As Weinreich explained, social and political powers act like an “army and a navy,” shaping how languages are defined, promoted, and perceived.
The Role of Dialects in Global Business Strategy
- Effective Localization and Translation Services
Localization makes or breaks a business strategy when entering a foreign market. And understanding the difference between a language and a dialect is crucial for achieving your business goals.
Targeting the specific dialect spoken in a region shows cultural understanding and can build a true connection with your audience, which is key when tapping into a new market.
- Avoiding Miscommunication
It even helps you avoid misunderstandings and marketing blunders that can be grave and could even hurt your brand image for years.
Ignoring dialectal differences can even cause legal issues.
bayantech’s Services Cover All Languages and Dialects
At bayantech, we understand the challenges of navigating dialectal and linguistic differences.
With years of experience in the language services field, we make sure we work with the best translation and localization specialists to deliver translations that will speak to the heart of your target audience.
Join us now and send us your next project!
