A dialect is a form of language that is spoken amongst a specific group or in a particular region. To level is to make something equal or similar. With this understanding, what do you think dialect levelling is?
Dialect levelling is the process by which the differences and variations between certain dialects are reduced or eliminated over time.
Dialect levelling occurs through the mixing of different cultures typically through migration and other forms of interaction over a long period of time. As a result, the most unique features of dialects are often lost. It seems to occur most frequently in languages following the industrialization and modernization of the areas where they are spoken.
Dialect levelling can occur over several generations, merging two or more dialects into one compromised dialect and typically erasing individual regional features. The dialects experience standardization, eliminating the distinctiveness of each dialect and establishing a singular mainstream dialect.
As it unfolds over time, dialect levelling results in the dialects and speech varieties of various parts of a country becoming increasingly similar. It is the process of reducing language diversity.
According to Gerard Van Herk, researchers in New Zealand concluded there is a three-stage process to dialect levelling:
Dialects in Britain reflect social class and geographical location, amongst other things. There are many examples of dialects in Britain. Consider how someone in the North might pronounce the word 'gutter' as 'gooh-tah' versus how a London youth might pronounce it as 'gu-ah', replacing the 't' with a glottal stop. Or consider how some Britons would say 'isn't', some would say 'ain't' and some would say 'in't'.
To give a past example of dialect levelling, take the evolution of the London dialect that occurred following the arrival of immigrants from the north of England in the fifteenth century. Their dialect evolved into more southern speech varieties.
Research points to a number of reasons for dialect levelling in Britain. Here are some possible reasons for it:
There are some negatives to dialect levelling. Primarily, the erasure of the uniqueness of individuality of dialects. It means certain cultural quirks are now lost forever.
However, dialect levelling is a result of increased human interaction between speakers of different classes / locations. This is surely a good thing, as it must mean society is becoming more integrated, sharing an increasingly uniform dialect.
Furthermore, it is unclear as to whether dialect levelling will eventually cause the erasure of dialects altogether. There is such a wide variety of dialects that it seems impossible. As immigration continues, it seems likely that groups will strive to maintain the unique qualities of their individual dialects. For this reason, dialect levelling can never truly erase different dialects. There will always be individual communities that will preserve their linguistic culture.
Dialect levelling seems to occur most frequently in languages following the industrialization and modernization of the areas where they are spoken.
The three-step process of dialect levelling:
The main reasons for dialect levelling are: increased social and geographical mobility, youth culture, popularity of media like TV / radio, industrialization / modernization.
Dialect levelling is the process by which the differences and variations between certain dialects are reduced or eliminated over time.
The main argument against dialect leveling is the diminution of diversity. If dialects are losing their uniqueness, that is to some degree a loss of cultural identity to the speakers of that dialect.
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