basilect
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English
Etymology
From basi- (“base, bottom”) + -lect (“speech”).
Pronunciation
Noun
basilect (plural basilects)
- (sociolinguistics) A variety of a language that differs substantially from the standard form, and is only considered suitable for very informal contexts by speakers.
- 1977, Joseph Twadell Shipley, In praise of English: the growth & use of language, page 78:
- The highest level of good English has been called the acrolect; the lowest level of poor speech, the basilect; both are contrasted with the matrilect, the general native language.
- 1987, Douglas N. Young, Language--planning and medium in education:
- In both regions English is used extensively, the spoken form ranging from, in the language of linguisticians, the basilect to the mesolect and the matrilect or acrolect (prestige English) .
- 1996, James E. Alatis, Georgetown University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics, →ISBN:
- If only the basilect is a true creole, then the mesolect is relegated to limbo -- not a creole, certainly not a standard.
Derived terms
Translations
variety of a language that has diverged greatly from the standard form
See also
Further reading
post-creole continuum on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Anagrams
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowing from English basilect.
Pronunciation
Noun
basilect n (plural basilecten, diminutive basilectje n)