acrolect

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English

Etymology

From acro- (“tip; peak”) +‎ -lect, coined by William Alexander Stewart in 1965.

Pronunciation

Noun

acrolect (plural acrolects)

  1. (sociolinguistics) The variety of speech that is considered most suitable for formal occasions (typically using only standard forms).
    Coordinate terms: mesolect, basilect; hyperlect
    • 1994, Michael Montgomery, The Crucible of Carolina, University of Georgia Press, →ISBN, page 60:
      In one dimension change is directed toward the acrolect, the “typical” change in the creole continuum.
    • 2013, Allan Bell, The Guidebook to Sociolinguistics, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 83:
      At the other end of the continuum is the most standard speech, the acrolect. In between is a gradient of forms with many successive levels, the mesolects.

Derived terms

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Further reading

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English acrolect.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌaː.kroːˈlɛkt/
  • Hyphenation: acro‧lect
  • Rhymes: -ɛkt

Noun

acrolect n (plural acrolecten, diminutive acrolectje n)

  1. the acrolect; the high-prestige register of a language, mainly used in formal settings
    Antonym: basilect
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