Dialect refers to a variant form of a language, as spoken by the members of a specific community. The community might be distinguished by geographical region, or perhaps by social class or ethnic origin. A dialect usually differs from the standard form of a language in its grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, as well as its pronunciation.

Some scholars consider the standard form to be simply one dialect among all those belonging to a given language; from that point of view, you might think of each dialect of a language as having its own rules, which may differ – a little or a lot – from that language’s other dialects.

Note that non-standard doesn’t mean sub-standard. If the members of a specific community communicate effectively with each other in a non-standard dialect, they are not speaking the standard dialect incorrectly, but their own dialect correctly.

The standard form is often spoken as a first language by only a minority of speakers of any form of that language; it is, however, likely to be understood by the majority, so it can be especially useful for communicating to a wider community, across dialect “boundaries.”

Accent refers solely to the pronunciation of a language (or dialect). If you speak aloud, you have an accent – it’s impossible to talk without one!

It is common to hear a standard form of language spoken with any number of accents, but non-standard dialects tend to have specific accents associated with them. So while one might easily hear French spoken with (for example) a Parisian accent, a Belgian accent, or a Swiss accent, it would be highly unusual to hear Cajun French spoken with a Provençal accent, or Puerto Rican Spanish with a Castilian accent, or Jamaican Patois with an Australian accent.

In theatre, film, and television (at least in the USA), these terms are sometimes defined differently. In performance jargon, accent may refer to pronunciation that derives from a language other than the one being spoken, and dialect may refer to regional pronunciation of the standard language. So actors may speak of a French accent for a role written entirely in English, but a Scottish dialect for a role written in standard English, but pronounced with a Scottish accent.

I usually use the first set of definitions; but what matters most is that all parties involved in a discussion can agree on terminology, and get on with the business at hand.

Last updated on October 21, 2010 by Amy Stoller