lect
Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word lect. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word lect, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say lect in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word lect you have here. The definition of the word lect will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition oflect, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: -lect
English
Etymology
Use of the compound element -lect as an independent noun.
Pronunciation
Noun
lect (plural lects)
- (linguistics, sociolinguistics) A specific form of a language or language cluster: a language or a dialect.
- Synonyms: code, idiom, languoid, variety
- Hyponyms: acrolect, basilect, chronolect, dialect, ethnolect, geolect, idiolect, mesolect, regiolect, sociolect, sublect, topolect; more
- Meronyms: lexicon, grammar, sublect
- Coordinate term: register
- 1980, Frederick B. Agard, The Genealogy of the French Language, published in Contributions to historical linguistics, →ISBN, page 222:
- These, together with (some) Romansh lects, belong to our West Rhaetian; the /ȫ/ also supported by two lects from the Ticino which by our criteria are NWIt, and by the partially umlauting lects of Lombardy which together with (some) Engadine lects belong to our East Rhaetian.
Usage notes
The term is used when it is not possible or desirable to decide whether something is a distinct language or only a dialect of a language.
Derived terms
- lectal (adj)
Related terms
Translations
linguistics, sociolinguistics: a specific form of a language or language cluster: a language or a dialect