WE OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE HAVE A MISCALCULATION OF THE EXACT NUMBER OF LANGUAGES WE HAVE IN NIGERIA,SOME ARE OF THE BELIEVE THAT WE ADD DIALECTS WHEN COUNTING THE LANGUAGES IN NIGERIA,PLEASE OUR LEANIENT BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE HOUSE EDUCATE US IF THIS IS TRUE AND YOUR OPINION BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND DIALECT

THANK YOU

A language is a well developed form of communication that is shared by members of a particular group, whereas a dialect is a form of variation that occurs within that language based on several reasons.

One reason variation occurs is because of geographical proximity. For example, a people settled on two banks of a large river. Prior to their settlement, they spoke the same dialect of the same language. However, many years later, since they failed to cross over to interact with each other, their language experienced independent growth on both banks of the river and ultimately formed two different dialects [of the same language]. When the people finally crossed over to interact for the first time, they noticed that they understood most of each other's speech.

Another way a dialect can be formed is by external influence. For example, a people (who speak a singular dialect of the same language) settled in a valley and were bordered by another people (who speak a totally different language) to their north. Those people who bordered these strange people began interacting with them, while their counterparts to the south didn't. Over a series of years, the northern half of the people started speaking differently from the southerners (although they still spoke the same language). The southern people then realized that they could only understand bits of the speech of their northern counterparts. This signals the development of a new dialect within their language.

the difference between a dialect and a language can be tricky
I guess a dialect is a regional variety (form) of a language spoken in a particular geographical area (village,country side ,small town,localities)
the vocabulary ,tone ,pronunciation are slighty different from the main language
For igbo languages ,you got the central igbo language and different dialect
from anambra states and so on
I guess Odumchi explained it very well

The difference is actually socio-political.

odumchi: A language is a well developed form of communication that is shared by members of a particular group, whereas a dialect is a form of variation that occurs within that language based on several reasons.

One reason variation occurs is because of geographical proximity. For example, a people settled on two banks of a large river. Prior to their settlement, they spoke the same dialect of the same language. However, many years later, since they failed to cross over to interact with each other, their language experienced independent growth on both banks of the river and ultimately formed two different dialects [of the same language]. When the people finally crossed over to interact for the first time, they noticed that they understood most of each other's speech.

Another way a dialect can be formed is by external influence. For example, a people (who speak a singular dialect of the same language) settled in a valley and were bordered by another people (who speak a totally different language) to their north. Those people who bordered these strange people began interacting with them, while their counterparts to the south didn't. Over a series of years, the northern half of the people started speaking differently from the southerners (although they still spoke the same language). The southern people then realized that they could only understand bits of the speech of their northern counterparts. This signals the development of a new dialect within their language.

well defined, my brother

Linguistically speaking, there is no difference between a language and a dialect, because in the field of linguistics, everybody speaks a dialect (form of speech particular to a group of people). It is only the social and political climate that determines whether or not your dialect is a language. The social and political climate includes factors such as, prestige, nationalization, and the presence or lack of a standard version.

Because of these social and political factors, you can have instances where two or more dialects are considered as separate languges, even though the speakers can understand each other and communicate with each other, without having to learn each others' dialect--i.e. Norwegian, Danish and Swedish. Norwegian, Danish and Swedish are all mutually-intelligible. Someone who speaks Norwegian can walk up to someone who speaks Danish or Swedish and have a conversation, without a problem, and vice versa, but they are each considered individual languages.

Because of these social and political factors, you can also have instances where two or more dialects are considered as being part of the same language, even though the speakers may not understand each other and may not be able to communicate, without first learning each others' dialects--i.e. the Chinese dialects. The Chinese dialects are linguistically unintelligible, meaning that people who speak Wu, for example, cannot have a conversation with people who speak Cantonese, etc., but they are all considered by many as being part of one language.

Long story short, what determines a "language" is not based on linguistics.

A dialect is a language based off of another language.

I'll give you an example with my language.

Fulfulde also known as Pular is the language of the Fulani people, however you also have Maasinkooré (spoken in Massina Mali), Foutajaalore (spoken in Sierra Leone, Guinea), Adamawa Fulfulde (spoken in Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Rep) Gombe Fulfulde (which is similar to Adamawa Fulfulde in some ways but has differences), Fouta Tooro Pular (Senegal and Mauritania). Often, Eastern Niger/Western Chad Fulani language, Adamawa, Gombe, etc. are all referred to as Fombina Fulfulde.

All these dialects are part of the Fulani language cluster (there is more than that). They all have their similarities and differences. Each dialect borrows from a neighbouring ethnic group and incorporates that language into their own.

A sociologist once said a language is a dialect with a flag and an army. And I agree totally.

Radoillo: A sociologist once said a language is a dialect with a flag and an army. And I agree totally.

Yep. Socio-political.