Paralect

Quick meaning: Paralect is a noun meaning An idiolect that closely approximates the dominant or most prestigious language form, but differs slightly, reflecting the speaker's original dialect, especially as regards to accent.

Meaning

An idiolect that closely approximates the dominant or most prestigious language form, but differs slightly, reflecting the speaker's original dialect, especially as regards to accent.

Example Sentences

Hyperlect represents the socially privileged marked RP accent, while paralect refers to the variety which is “very close to RP but [which] retains a few tiny non-standard features”.

By analogy with CREOLE studies, John Honey (1985) posited a LECT continuum, ranging from the basilect (the broad regional accent) to the acrolect (RP), with many people reaching a paralect (i.e. an approximate acrolect) stage.

Although this figure is not confirmed by sociolinguistic research, and it is not clear what are the speech practices of the other 47% (most probably vernaculars, dialects that are unintelligible to Putonghua speakers, and minority languages), it does sketch out the scale of Putonghua and its quasi-equivalent paralects within China and beyond.

One misses a theory of exceptions in this book, since this lack is what makes ‘marginal cases’ so upsetting for phonemic analysis. There is also no mention of the possibility that an investigation of the reductions found in Punti (leveled, but variable local mixed) paralects could contribute a great deal to a theory of language in general and to an understanding of the component varieties of Chinese in particular.

Word Forms

• paralects

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include hyperlect, basilect, paralectotype, patrilect, classroomese, acolutholect.

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