NORTHSTAR 3 Unit 4: Separated by the same language

Part 1: Work in a small group and complete this activity. 

1. What is the difference between accent and dialect? Check dictionary definitions to compare.

1. When you hear a person speak in your native language, what can you tell from that person's accent?

Choose one or more items and write them down.

hometown                                                    economic class

level of education　　　　　　　　　　profession       

age                                                               intellligence

other thing?

2. Are some accents in your native language considered better than others? Why or why not?

Part 2: Read and listen to the excerpt from a linguistics textbook about dialect.

Dialect

A dialect is a form of language with grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary that differ from other forms of the language. A dialect develops when a group of same-language speakers are separated in some way.

Regional dialects develop when speakers are separated by geography such as rivers and mountains.

Social dialects develop when one group is separated from another socially because of differences in economic class, level of education, culture, ethnicity, or age. A standard dialect is a dialect that is mostly used in the media (TV, radio, and newspapers). 

++Give examples of regional dialects, social dialects, and standard dialect in Japanese, including some example sentences or phrases spoken in those dialects.

Sterling Allen Brown (May 1, 1901 – January 13, 1989) was an African-American professor, author of works on folklore and literary critic. He studied chiefly black culture of the Southern United States.