I have been thinking about this for a long time. I have also made some researches but i think that putting it up on nairaland will help throw more light on it. HOW ARE DIALECTS FORMED? English,igbo,yoruba,arabic etc.

Most times dialects form a language and not the other way around.

afam4eva: Most times dialects form a language and not the other way around.

so you're saying that dialect is older than language. But i think that language must have existed before being adulterated.

Doesn't a thread like this already exist?

Anyway, the terms "dialect" and "language" exist only in relation to each other. In actuality, any form of speech that varies from another can be termed a language. If that were the way we classified them, we would have millions of languages in this world. However, it isn't so. In order to avoid that, similar languages are grouped together under an umbrella language and made into dialects.

There is no real difference between language and dialect, in terms of actual speech. In layman's terms, all form of speech is language (dialects included). That is how the field of linguistics generally views it. The only thing is that the term dialect (as used in linguistics) goes on to refer to "speech regions" or "speech communities" (in other words, language that is peculiar to a group of people).

Once you leave linguistics and enter the socio-political sphere, the definitions of language and dialect change. Language becomes characterized as "main speech" or "standard speech", while dialect becomes characterized as "sub-speech", even if the dialects were established before the "main" or "standard speech" (i.e. Igbo). That is how language and dialect (as people commonly understand it) is formed.

ChinenyeN: There is no real difference between language and dialect, in terms of actual speech. In layman's terms, all form of speech is language (dialects included). That is how the field of linguistics generally views it. The only thing is that the term dialect (as used in linguistics) goes on to refer to "speech regions" or "speech communities" (in other words, language that is peculiar to a group of people).

Once you leave linguistics and enter the socio-political sphere, the definitions of language and dialect change. Language becomes characterized as "main speech" or "standard speech", while dialect becomes characterized as "sub-speech", even if the dialects were established before the "main" or "standard speech" (i.e. Igbo). That is how language and dialect (as people commonly understand it) is formed.

well explained. Happy new year!

odumchi: Doesn't a thread like this already exist?

Anyway, the terms "dialect" and "language" exist only in relation to each other. In actuality, any form of speech that varies from another can be termed a language. If that were the way we classified them, we would have millions of languages in this world. However, it isn't so. In order to avoid that, similar languages are grouped together under an umbrella language and made into dialects.

igweee! Happy aho ofuru! Have ur tenure started?

There is a term called "DIALECTICS" i studied this in sociology in university...It generally pertains to electing to diversify in choice of thought,opinion or practice....Language is a tool of sociology as we use it to socialize as in shareing ideation....we have options in the design form of any tool includeing language...Even biology is not bound to one option for its form or physical expression as culture is also diverse......Thesis and AntiThesis is the basic example of dialectis ,that is to pose as wrong or to oppose as right..Then comes the place of Synthesis which pertains that the thesis and its antithesis come together in united synthesis to be neutral or a form that rises above the concept of right and wrong or white and black or up and down or past and future or day and night or male and female,e.t.c.>>>>>i believe the theory of dialectics existed before it was used to refer to language diversity....

Or as one famous journalist put it

'' A language is a dialect with a strong army behind it''

ow11: Or as one famous journalist put it

'' A language is a dialect with a strong army behind it''

a strong army? Please explain

Swedish and Norwegian are recognised as languages but Abiriba is a dialect of Igbo.

English used to be a language of peasants (a pidgin of a germanic language mixed with latin root words) but I am typing in it and have no idea what computer is called in Abiriba. You get?

''Late West Saxon was the dialect that became the first "standardised" written English ("Winchester standard".''

Like someone said, a language can also be a dialect and vice-versa. Dutch and Deutsh(german) are languages even though both are similar. Same applies to Swedish and Norwegian.

ow11: Swedish and Norwegian are recognised as languages but Abiriba is a dialect of Igbo.

English used to be a language of peasants (a pidgin of a germanic language mixed with latin root words) but I am typing in it and have no idea what computer is called in Abiriba. You get?

''Late West Saxon was the dialect that became the first "standardised" written English ("Winchester standard".''

Yeah in the evolution of all languages,its all a dialect/pidgin progression from a much earlier and mostly extinct language,other than the remants in other languages scattered across the world...And its always been the dominant armies of nations that determine whos vernacular will be granted full status as distinguished from others and sovreign(sovreign often mistaken for original or endemic)..Its truly a scattered mess into makeing accurate decisions of whos language is a dialect of another....best truth i ever heard is that "its all one"....