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Accent vs Dialect.

A mystery to many, but the definition is clear.

It’s about the pronunciation…
Not the local lingo…

Surprisingly, most people struggle to understand the different between an accent and a dialect.

Ultimately, one must pinpoint the differences in 2 languages. Let’s take English as an example.

The Queen’s English is the name given to what many German speakers would call “standard English”.

Scouse on the other hand, is the name given to the type of English they speak in Liverpool. Much more guttural, and far harder to understand for non-native speakers.

With the exception of very few words, the only difference is the way the words are pronounced. The words themselves are, ultimately, the same.

But, what about dialects?
Now, this is where the sh*t hits the fan…

As a man who has spent many years in Tirol, but has a girlfriend from Switzerland, I was introduced to the strength of the dialect pretty early on.

Dialects not only use a completely different prononciation, but they also use completely different words.

“Wo warst du?” and “Wo bisch gsi?” are not the same at all. No matter which way you look at it, slice it, and / or dice it. 😉

Until next time, good morning, good evening and good night. 😇

—
Oliver J. Baxter
Englischlehrer / Englischkurse in Liechtenstein.