ABSTRACT
Every language differs to some degree from place to place and from group to group. We use the term language variation to refer to the fact that a language is not uniform. Instead, it varies according to social characteristics of groups of people, such as their cultural background, geographical location, social class, gender, or age. Language variation may also refer to differences in the way that language is used in different settings, such as in the home, the community, and the school, and on different occasions, such as telling a friend about a trip or planning a trip with a travel agent.
