Language varies according to how speakers and writers use it. Functional linguists, for example Michael Halliday, recognise three main kinds of variation: dialectal, diatypic and diachronic. Dialectal variation recognises that within one mother tongue an individual may use a particular form of language – standard English or a regional or class dialect, sometimes called a ‘sociolect’. There may also be variation according to gender, ethnicity and class. While ‘dialect’ is to do with variation in grammatical structures, ‘accent’ refers only to pronunciation – and may be ‘received pronunciation’ (RP) or a kind of pronunciation associated with a particular region or social group. This is normally a useful distinction but can become blurred in particular cases: Rebecca Bunting asks whether ‘innit’ should be regarded as a dialect feature of London English or as a feature of accent, as a pronunciation of ‘isn’t it’ (Bunting, 2000 edition, p. 19). Angela Wilson draws our attention to emotional aspects of different accents and how advertisers exploit this on film and television – Dorset and Somerset accents being used to sell wholesome products and French accents to sell perfume (Wilson, 2005).
Diatypic variation refers to the adaptations we make in our language according to context and purpose. The ‘register’ of our language differs according to the formality of the situation – we would use language differently in a court of law or university seminar than in a pub or at a football match. Other factors also affect the ‘register’ or kind of language we use – the immediate context and the relationship between participants for example.
Diachronic variation refers to changes in language over time in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation and is covered under ‘language change’.
Halliday, M.A.K. and Hasan, R. (1985) Language, Context and Text: Aspects of Language in a Social-Semiotic Perspective Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bunting, Rebecca (2000) Teaching About Language in the Primary Years London: David Fulton (Chapter 1).
Wilson, Angela (2005, third edition) Language Knowledge for Primary Teachers London: David Fulton.
