LANGUAGE VARIETIES

Language is characterized by a constant development. Over the

years its features change, some are lost with new generations of
language users and other features are incorporated or
maintained. Apart from that, there are different variations in the
same language. If these variations are according to the same
region and they occur simultaneously at the level of sound,
vocabulary and grammar: they are called different dialects
(varieties of a language that are characteristic of a particular
group of the language's speakers.) Furthermore, when variations
according to place are found in pronunciation, the standard
practice is to treat such features as aspects of different accents.
In the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, some of the
different varieties can be found in its characters. Dickens uses
dialect to help the characters come to life by writing in the way
they speak. An example of dialect early in the book is Magwitchs
language. He is a convict and poor, so he speaks like a poor
uneducated person. The dialect represents uneducated early
Victorian English, this is why his words can sometimes be hard to
understand. For example, I hant half a mind tot! (if I have not
half a mind to do so.)
In the following quotes, the difference between the way wealthy
and poor people talk is shown.
"Well!' said Miss Havisham. And you have reared the boy with
the intention of taking him for your apprentice; is that so, Mr.
Gargery?"
"You know, Pip,' replied Joe, 'as you and me were ever friends,
and it were looked for'ard to betwixt us, as being calc'lated to
lead to larks.
- It were looked for'ard to betwixt us (it was looked forward to be
between us.)
Joe, another main character, an uneducated and illiterate
blacksmith speaks in an uneducated English, Non-Standard

variety, he mispronounces some words because he never learned

how to say the words according to Standard English as he was
very humble and belonged to the working class. Where Miss
Havisham, the wealthy old lady, uses big words and more
complex, refined phrases; a clear example in which rich people do
not only attempt to use the grammar of the Standard English (a
prestige variety), but often use grand words with sophisticated
meanings.
In conclusion, a language variety can be associated with different
features of the language. A dialect that is associated with a
particular social class can be termed a sociolect. If the variety is
interpreted geographically, it can be said that it is a regional
dialect, but it also has some application in relation to a persons
social background: class dialect, or occupation: occupational
dialect. A dialect is chiefly distinguished from other dialects of the
same language by features of linguistic structurei.e., grammar
(specifically morphology and syntax) and vocabulary.
Nevertheless, while dialects of the same language differ, they still
possess a common core of features.