Diatype

All you want to know about Diatype

Diatype is a term first used by the linguist Michael Gregory to describe a type of language variation which is determined by its social purpose. In his formulation, language variation can be divided into two categories: dialect, for variation according to user (eg. African American Vernacular English), and diatype for variation according to use (eg. the specialised language of an academic journal).

Diatype vs. dialect
Diatype Dialect
Defined by use Defined by user
Intra-speaker variation Inter-speaker variation
Discourse community Speech community
Field, tenor, mode Geographic, social, temporal

The distinction between the terms is not always clear; in some cases a language variety may be understood as both a dialect and a diatype. The term register is often used in place of 'diatype'. The terms style and genre can also overlap in meaning.

Three variables of dialect are:

  • Geographical: Where the speech community is based.
  • Social: What social group/s the speech community belong to.
  • Temporal: In what time (present or historical) the speech community exists.

Diatype is usually analysed in terms of:

  • Field: The subject matter or setting.
  • Tenor: The participants and their relationships.
  • Mode: The channel of communication, such as spoken, written or signed.

References

  • Gregory, M. (1967): Aspects of Varieties Differentiation, in: Journal of Linguistics 3, pp. 177-197.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatype"

No comments have been added.



Your name:

City:

Country:

Your comments:

Security check *
(Please enter the number into adjoining box)

 
up to content ยป

  • Ads

           
eXTReMe Tracker