Definition of idiolect: the language or speech pattern of one individual at a particular period of life

"Because each of us belongs to different social groups, we each speak a language variety made up of a combination of features slightly different from those characteristic of any other speaker of the language. The language variety unique to a single speaker of a language is called an idiolect. Your idiolect includes the vocabularyappropriate to your various interests and activities, pronunciations reflective of the region in which you live or have lived, and variable styles of speaking that shift subtly depending on whom you are addressing." (Thomas P. Klammer, Muriel R. Schulz, and Angela Della Volpe, Analyzing English Grammar. Longman, 2007)

"Almost all speakers make use of several idiolects, depending on the circumstances of communication. For example, when family members talk to each other, their speech habits typically differ from those any one of them would use in, say, an interview with a prospective employer. The concept of idiolect refers to a very specific phenomenon--the speech variety, or linguistic system, used by a particular individual. All those idiolects that have enough in common to appear at least superficially alike belong to a dialect. The termdialect, then, is an abstraction." (Zdenk Salzmann, Language, Culture, and Society. Westview, 2003)

"It must be noted that the very existence of the term 'idiolect' as a proper object of linguistic description represents a defeat of the Saussurian notion of langue as an object of uniform social understanding." (William Labov, Sociolinguistic Patterns. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press, 1972)

The Lighter Side of Idiolects "'Zerts are what I call desserts. Tray-trays are entrees. I call sandwiches sammies, sandoozles, orAdam Sandlers. Air conditioners are cool blasterz, with a z. I don't know where that came from. I call cakes big ol' cookies. I call noodles long-ass rice. Fried chicken is fri-fri chicky-chick. Chicken parm is chicky chicky parm parm. Chicken cacciatore? Chicky catch. I call eggs pre-birds or future birds. Root beer is super water. Tortillas are bean blankies. And I call forks . . . food rakes." (Aziz Ansari as Tom in Parks and Recreation, 2011)

SpongeBob: [Wearing underwear on his head and walking backwards] Mr. Krabs, hello. Do you how do? Mr. Krabs: Why are you talking funny, man? SpongeBob: I anything can't do right since because pickles. Mr. Krabs: Nonsense. You'll be back working at the Krusty Krab in no time. SpongeBob: I don't think ready back go to work, Mr. Krabs. Mr. Krabs: You're doing just fine.

DEFINITION

A variety of language that is characteristic of particular group of the language speaker. A language socially subordinate to a regional or national standard language.

For example, in our national language (Bahasa Indonesia) there are several dialects, Javanese dialect, Sundanese dialect, Dayak dialect, etc. Dialect can be distinguished by: a. Vocabulary For example: apo (to say what) in Minangkabau can be opo in Javanese. b. Grammar For example : Tell me what do you know >> Standard Lg. Tell me what thou knowest >> Yorkshire dialect c. Pronunciation American English: duty is pronounced /di:ti/ British English: duty is pronounced /dju:ti/ In Betawi dialect a word ending in a >> e kemana >> kemane siapa >> siape KINDS OF DIALECT Standard Dialect A standard dialect is a dialect that is supported by institution. There may be multiple standard dialect associated with a single language for example Standard American English, Standard Canadian English etc. Non-Standard Dialect A non standard dialect is a dialect that is not beneficiary of institutional support for example Southern American English or Newfoundland English. Regional Dialect A Regional dialect is a dialect which is spoken in certain area or place for example Minagkabau dialect, Javanese dialect.

 Social Dialect or Sociolect A social dialect is a dialect which is spoken by certain group for example teenagers dialect, bahasa gaul, bahasa alay. Temporal Dialect A temporal dialect is dialect which is spoken in certain period of time for example Middle English dialect. IDIOLECT Idiolect is a variety of language that is unique to individual. Idiolect is concerning with the colour of choice of choice of words, lan guage style, sentence order, etc. This paper is due to my Sociolinguistics assignment on Tuesday, November 13th, 2012. Please provide this site as the source if you consider this post as a reference.