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[Lautaro]

In class yesterday, one of my students asked me about the difference between the words "vernacular" and "dialect". Although I`ve heard the word vernacular before, I wasn`t familiar with the definition and I told him so. I told him I`d have to look up the word in order to make a comparison.

As it happened, my shift ended just at that moment so he asked his question to the next teacher. The next teacher gave a description of the word vernacular, but that was all I had time to hear before I left. I`ve looked through some dictionaries, but I`m still confused by the difference between the words. Can anyone provide some insight on this matter?

Lautaro

[dduck]

Off the top of my head, there isn't any difference between the two.

The venacular is the version of langauge that people use which is different from the standard version. Some people think that the standard version is also a dialect - personally I coming round to the idea that it's more useful to consider the standard version of a language as an artificial (i.e. man-made) version rather than a natural dialect.

Iain

[scot47]

"Vernacular" is the language of the common people. "Dialect" has connotations of a regional variety.

Some writers use "dialect" to mean any form of the language which is a variant, including for example RP, or Standard American. Others have used "dialect" to imply that it is some sort of deviant variation.

[SueH]

I even think that the word "common" doesn't always or necessarily apply:
"He spoke in Latin to the priest who replied in the vernacular"; - in other words the local language, which might or might not be dialect.

[Capergirl]

ver�nac�u�lar (vr-nky-lr) n.

1. The standard native language of a country or locality.
2. a. The everyday language spoken by a people as distinguished from the literary language. See Synonyms at dialect.
b. A variety of such everyday language specific to a social group or region: the vernaculars of New York City.
3. The idiom of a particular trade or profession: in the legal vernacular.
4. An idiomatic word, phrase, or expression.
5. The common, nonscientific name of a plant or animal.

di�a�lect (d-lkt) n.

1. a. A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists: Cockney is a dialect of English.
b. A variety of language that with other varieties constitutes a single language of which no single variety is standard: the dialects of Ancient Greek.
2. The language peculiar to the members of a group, especially in an occupation; jargon: the dialect of science.
3. The manner or style of expressing oneself in language or the arts.
4. A language considered as part of a larger family of languages or a linguistic branch. Not in scientific use: Spanish and French are Romance dialects.


The above definitions are compliments of dictionary.com. This thread made me curious, so I did a quick search. According to these definitions, it would appear that vernacular and dialect are not the same, yet not completely dissimilar either. It seems to depend a lot on the context, as with most things in English.

[FGT]

Ref: BBC English Dictionary:

Dialect = the language spoken in a particular area.

Vernacular = the language most widely spoken in a country or region

My own hunch is that vernacular has more of an idea of a common tongue, because, in my previous incarnation as an archaeologist, we would apply this adjective to things other than language. Viz - vernacular architecture = the houses etc of the ordinary people. Rather than church/state architecture etc.

[Lautaro]

Thank you all for your input! Much appreciated. When I see my student again, I`ll attempt to explain this matter as best I can.

Lautaro