Diasystem
Encyclopedia
In the field of structural dialectology
, a diasystem or polylectal grammar is an analysis set up to encode or represent a range of related varieties. Overwhelmingly, diasystems focus on sounds between varieties
, though morphological
and syntactic
diasystems are possible.
The term diasystem was popularized by Uriel Weinreich
, who advocated considering discrete varieties
as members of a linguistic continuum, and uniting related varieties into a single description; such systems, he argued, can represent a higher level of abstraction than phonemic
systems.
Related to this was efforts in American dialectology and generative phonology to construct an "overall system" that represented the underlying representation for all dialects of English. An example of this was the diaphonemic analysis, made by , that presumably all American varieties could fit.
Six of the nine simple vowels in this diasystem are common across most dialects: /i/ occurs in pit, /e/ in pet, /æ/ in pat, /ə/ in putt, /u/ in put, and /ɔ/ in pot. The other three are found in specific dialects or dialect groups: /o/ represents the vowel of rod in Scottish English
and road in New England varieties
; /ɨ/ represents both an unstressed schwa as well as a vowel that appears in stressed syllables in words like just (when it means 'only'); and /a/ represents the vowel of pot in American dialects.
These nine simple vowels can then be combined with any of three offglides (/j h w/) to make 36 possible complex nuclei. This system was popular amongst American linguists (despite criticism, particularly from Hans Kurath
) until demonstrated its inadequacy. It nevertheless triggered a surge of academic work that used it in applied linguistics (e.g. for ESL education materials, composition texts for native speakers, basic linguistics texts, and in the application of linguistics to literary criticism).
Diasystems are also possible in dictionaries. For example, the Macquarie Dictionary
reflects the pronunciation of four phonetically distinct sociolects of Australian English
. Since these sociolects are the same phonemically, readers (at least, those from Australia) can interpret the system as representing their own accent.
While a useful tool in dialectology, the phenomenon may also represent speakers' actual linguistic repertoire in certain sociolinguistic circumstances. For example, argues that Modern Literary Arabic is a diasystem of various interference phenomena occurring when speakers of different Arabic varieties
attempt to speak or read Literary Arabic
.
Cognitively real diasystems are not limited to humans. Crow
s are able to distinguish between different calls that prompt others to disperse, assemble, or rescue; these calls show regional variation so that French crows do not understand recorded American calls. While captive birds show difficulty understanding the calls of birds from nearby regions, those allowed to migrate are able to understand calls from both, suggesting that they have mentally constructed a diasystem that enables them to understand both call systems.
Dialectology
Dialectology is the scientific study of linguistic dialect, a sub-field of sociolinguistics. It studies variations in language based primarily on geographic distribution and their associated features...
, a diasystem or polylectal grammar is an analysis set up to encode or represent a range of related varieties. Overwhelmingly, diasystems focus on sounds between varieties
Diaphone (linguistics)
In linguistics, a diaphoneme or diaphone is a phoneme viewed through its dialectal variants, called diaphonic variants or diaphonic allophones. For example, the vowel that constitutes the English word eye is pronounced diaphonically as or in RP and General American, as or in Scottish English,...
, though morphological
Morphology (linguistics)
In linguistics, morphology is the identification, analysis and description, in a language, of the structure of morphemes and other linguistic units, such as words, affixes, parts of speech, intonation/stress, or implied context...
and syntactic
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
diasystems are possible.
The term diasystem was popularized by Uriel Weinreich
Uriel Weinreich
Uriel Weinreich was a linguist at Columbia University. Born in Vilnius , he earned his Ph.D. from Columbia, and went on to teach there, specializing in Yiddish studies, sociolinguistics, and dialectology...
, who advocated considering discrete varieties
Variety (linguistics)
In sociolinguistics a variety, also called a lect, is a specific form of a language or language cluster. This may include languages, dialects, accents, registers, styles or other sociolinguistic variation, as well as the standard variety itself...
as members of a linguistic continuum, and uniting related varieties into a single description; such systems, he argued, can represent a higher level of abstraction than phonemic
Phoneme
In a language or dialect, a phoneme is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances....
systems.
Related to this was efforts in American dialectology and generative phonology to construct an "overall system" that represented the underlying representation for all dialects of English. An example of this was the diaphonemic analysis, made by , that presumably all American varieties could fit.
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i | ɨ | u |
| Mid | e | ə | o |
| Low | æ | a | ɔ |
Six of the nine simple vowels in this diasystem are common across most dialects: /i/ occurs in pit, /e/ in pet, /æ/ in pat, /ə/ in putt, /u/ in put, and /ɔ/ in pot. The other three are found in specific dialects or dialect groups: /o/ represents the vowel of rod in Scottish English
Scottish English
Scottish English refers to the varieties of English spoken in Scotland. It may or may not be considered distinct from the Scots language. It is always considered distinct from Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language....
and road in New England varieties
New England English
New England English refers to the dialects of English spoken in the New England area. These include the Eastern New England dialect , the Western New England dialect , and some Subdialects within these two regions...
; /ɨ/ represents both an unstressed schwa as well as a vowel that appears in stressed syllables in words like just (when it means 'only'); and /a/ represents the vowel of pot in American dialects.
These nine simple vowels can then be combined with any of three offglides (/j h w/) to make 36 possible complex nuclei. This system was popular amongst American linguists (despite criticism, particularly from Hans Kurath
Hans Kurath
Hans Kurath was an American linguist of Austrian origin. He was full professor for English and Linguistics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor...
) until demonstrated its inadequacy. It nevertheless triggered a surge of academic work that used it in applied linguistics (e.g. for ESL education materials, composition texts for native speakers, basic linguistics texts, and in the application of linguistics to literary criticism).
Diasystems are also possible in dictionaries. For example, the Macquarie Dictionary
Macquarie Dictionary
The Macquarie Dictionary is a dictionary of Australian English. It also pays considerable attention to New Zealand English. Originally it was a publishing project of Jacaranda Press, a Brisbane educational publisher, for which an editorial committee was formed, largely from the Linguistics...
reflects the pronunciation of four phonetically distinct sociolects of Australian English
Australian English
Australian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....
. Since these sociolects are the same phonemically, readers (at least, those from Australia) can interpret the system as representing their own accent.
While a useful tool in dialectology, the phenomenon may also represent speakers' actual linguistic repertoire in certain sociolinguistic circumstances. For example, argues that Modern Literary Arabic is a diasystem of various interference phenomena occurring when speakers of different Arabic varieties
Varieties of Arabic
The Arabic language is a Semitic language characterized by a wide number of linguistic varieties within its five regional forms. The largest divisions occur between the spoken languages of different regions. The Arabic of North Africa, for example, is often incomprehensible to an Arabic speaker...
attempt to speak or read Literary Arabic
Literary Arabic
Modern Standard Arabic , Standard Arabic, or Literary Arabic is the standard and literary variety of Arabic used in writing and in most formal speech....
.
Cognitively real diasystems are not limited to humans. Crow
Crow
Crows form the genus Corvus in the family Corvidae. Ranging in size from the relatively small pigeon-size jackdaws to the Common Raven of the Holarctic region and Thick-billed Raven of the highlands of Ethiopia, the 40 or so members of this genus occur on all temperate continents and several...
s are able to distinguish between different calls that prompt others to disperse, assemble, or rescue; these calls show regional variation so that French crows do not understand recorded American calls. While captive birds show difficulty understanding the calls of birds from nearby regions, those allowed to migrate are able to understand calls from both, suggesting that they have mentally constructed a diasystem that enables them to understand both call systems.