ABSTRACT

Language varies over time, across national and geographical boundaries, by gender, across age groups, and by socioeconomic status. When the variation occurs within a given language, we call the different versions of the same language dialects. Thus, we describe English, for example, in terms of British English, Canadian English, American English, Australian English, Caribbean English, and Indian English. Within the United States, we speak of Southern English, Boston English, New York English, West Coast English, and so on.