How many Chinese dialects are widely spoken at present?
Q. Are any of them similar enough that a speaker of one can communicate with a speaker of the other? Movies and tv lead me to believe that Chinese dialects are too dissimilar for one to communicate to the other. Is that a correct impression? Thanks for the help!
Asked by Abby O'Normal - Sun Dec 14 15:28:49 2008 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. *looks up at Zsa Zsa* Wow, just how many ways CAN you say "happy ending"?
Answered by Foxy Little Devil - Mon Dec 15 16:28:18 2008

What are the differences between arabic dialects?
Q. yeah my question is this I'm interested in arabic dialects.. can any of you mention some example? for example some words that are different among dialects or some letters which are in or not in certain dialects I've heard that Egyptian is the most spoken and widely understood I'd like to hear a same sentence in different dialects which is the hardest to learn? which sound the most beautiful? thank you
Asked by diversiteit66 - Sun Jun 28 17:48:22 2009 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. There are big differences between Arabic dialects in different areas mainly, The Egyptian, Levant, Khaliji and North African dialects. It's true that Egyptian dialect is the easiest to speak and is understood by almost all native Arabic speakers this is due to the flourished Egyptian media (famous movies and series) among Arab countries. In the second place comes the Levant dialect which is somehow easy to understand as well. Algerian, tunisian and moroccan are almost impossible to understand. Examples of a change, The way of saying "How are you?": In Egyptian: Ezayak. In Lebanese: Kyfak. In Algerian: Wesh rak. In Kuwaiti: Esh lonak. But some other times only the pronunciation of the same word change: The J sound is prounoced "G"… [cont.]
Answered by ~Cleo~ - Sun Jun 28 18:17:41 2009

Is it difficult to understand different Italian dialects?
Q. I'm learning Italian, but I know that in Italy there are many different dialects. If I go to Italy someday is it really hard to understand the different dialects? Are there a lot of people there who speak standard Italian?
Asked by Sarah - Thu Sep 18 20:15:34 2008 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Luckily for you, pretty much everyone speaks standard Italian. Only with the older generations (and we're talking sixty, seventy years old) will you find people who still speak their regional dialect. I would have to say that they are a bit hard to understand, but you can figure out what the words mean when you read them. For example, in the Ferrara dialect, you have: A me piasu al viaz. (I liked the trip.) In standard Italian, that would be "Mi e piaciuto il viaggio," or if you want to make it sound even closer to the Ferrara sentence, "A me piaciuto il viaggio." So you can see, they're definitely related. But upon just hearing the phrase, it's hard to tell what it means. As for dialects in Rome and further south, don't even attempt… [cont.]
Answered by unknown - Thu Sep 18 20:27:16 2008

What are some words that differ in Lebanese and Syrian dialects?
Q. Both dialects sound very similar to me so I'm interested to know some words through which I can distinguish between a Lebanese and a Syrian . Thanks .
Asked by Fajr - Sun May 10 06:52:52 2009 - - 5 Answers - 0 Comments

A. errr similar? they are nothing alike.. Syrian: Moo Lebanese: Mish Syrian: Shlounak? Shlounik? Lebanese: Kifak? Kifik? Syrian: Kwayes Lebanese: Mnee7 Syrian: Bnoub Lebanese: Bil mara Syrian: Shou had? Lebanese: Shou hayda?
Answered by Gazelle - Sun May 10 07:25:06 2009

How can the grammar structures of all Chinese dialects be identical?
Q. I mean, you can show the sentence " " to any Chinese or Taiwanese person, and - regardless of how they would say that sentence - it makes complete sense to them, right? How is it that all dialects of Chinese just happen to have the exact same word order, idiomatic phrases, and so on that fit with the official writing of Chinese? Am I just seriously misinformed, here? Ciao Andrew! :) Thanks for the link, that's very interesting!
Asked by Kelly - Fri Oct 10 01:14:47 2008 - - 1 Answers - 1 Comments

A. Hi Kelly! I think I remember reading somewhere that when a Cantonese speaker writes how they would speak, it is not what they would write formally in Chinese. So, they can read the formal Chinese written down, but when they speak it, they wouldn't say what's literally written down word-for-word. This portion of an article on Wikipedia might interest you: Hope it helps! ___ Figurati! Glad I could help! ;-)
Answered by A d - Fri Oct 10 01:26:16 2008

Difference between dialects in other languages compared to English?
Q. So I know in other languages they will have different words for different things in different dialects, or they'll conjugate verbs differently or something to that extent. I haven't been around enough of the US to know what we do differently...so, what is it?
Asked by (Black Wolf) - Mon May 18 00:57:10 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Wellz, english has it's different dialects everywhere. So it's hard to really "compare" cause there's so many dialects. Canadian English is pretty much the same as American English. The most obvious dialect is in the UK. They say things like: Queue (prounounced "cue) instead of Line-Up Snogging instead of Kissing Fringe instead of Bangs (hairwise) Nungas instead of Boobs F@g isn't a derogatory word for homosexual, instead it means a cigarette. And so on and so forth =)
Answered by tikuku//busy with work =( - Mon May 18 16:19:38 2009

How many base languages are there in the world not counting different dialects and what are they?
Q. How many base languages are there in the world not counting different dialects and what are they? PLEASE!No dumb answers like the one the first guy said. I'm talking base languages not dialects of the few languages there are.I;'m talking the root languages that all dialects are derived from.Thanks ok the first guys question got remove,thanks for the help the rest of ya.
Asked by billjriv - Sat Dec 20 00:16:54 2008 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. About 6000 I believe - heaps of those comming from the pygmie languages of PNG. EDIT -- There is no clear distinction between dialects and languages! Chinese is counted as one lanauge by some linguists and about 20 by others. As for root languages that languages came from... Are you kidding?! They have no idea were half the languages came from - and have no idea if you go back far enough. The official count for unique languages in the world is roughly 6000 - if you are not happy with that then go see a proffessor as a university who will tell you the same thing. Most of the languages in PNG for example are language isolates - that means that they don't seem related. PNG is made up of high mountain ranges which were almost impassible.… [cont.]
Answered by Rick Byrne - Sat Dec 20 00:33:55 2008

Why Turkic languages are not considered as dialects of one language?
Q. Although virtually all Turk people can understand language of other Turks with not much difficulties (such az Azeries and Turkish) why Turkic languages are considered as languages of a family but not dialects of one language?
Asked by telman_ri - Sun Sep 28 05:56:26 2008 - - 1 Answers - 1 Comments

A. There are no easy ways to define the difference between languages and dialects. Usually the political borders themselves make it probable that two related languages/dialects will be called different languages rather than dialects (like the Scandinavian languages, Czech/Slovak, Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian which are all examples of languages far more nearly related than many Turkic languages). That said, there are also considerable differences between many Turkic languages, and they have in many cases become far greater from purely political reasons during the 20th century. The Turkish in Turkey was for example purged from most of the Arabic and Persian loan-words after the founding of the new Turkish state, which makes it very difficult for… [cont.]
Answered by juexue - Sun Sep 28 06:54:18 2008

What do all English dialects have in common?
Q. I guess all the English dialects(all English-speaking countries included) must have some things in common. What are the things all the English dialects have in common(otherwise, those dialects wouldn't be considered as "English"?
Asked by Johnny - Fri May 30 00:17:42 2008 - - 7 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Same words, different slang
Answered by Rockii - Fri May 30 00:21:49 2008

How many different dialects of inuit are there?
Q. I am full blooded inuit, but I have been adopted. I would like to learn some of my culture, but I have heard there are so many dialects of inuit? Is that true?
Asked by Elizann Chan - Sat Jun 30 21:01:53 2007 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. There are between 4-6 major dialects. I really can'r remember, though. Anyways, good luck!
Answered by {*Kiterya A.k.A Ms Caramel*} - Sat Jun 30 21:09:13 2007

Are there in the different American states dialects like in Europe?
Q. Are there in the different American states dialects like in Europe? And do you have examples of words which are only being used in the area you're living? And what does these words mean? For example, in the Netherlands, we ask "Ben je ziek?" when we ask if you're ill. But in the region where I live, people would ask "Bisse krank?" .
Asked by Chris N - Fri Jan 30 13:22:36 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Mostly it's just accents between the various parts of the US. For example - The Midwest/North is more clipped and nasal. The South is a bit more drawn out and relaxed. There are words and phrases you would find in one region, but not another. For example - How people refer to carbinated, caffeinated beverages... Midwesterners typically say "pop". Southerners typically say "Coke" even when you're drinking Pepsi. New Englanders typically say "soda". Interesting links about it can be found at this site - ttp://www.evolpub.com/Ame ricandialects/AmDialLnx.h tml
Answered by Me, Myself, and I - Fri Jan 30 13:51:08 2009

Are there languages that are closely related enough to be considered dialects?
Q. Languages that come from the same family are often amazingly similar. Are they ever close enough that linguists could have a reasonable debate over whether they are dialects of the same language or both descendants of a common language? For instance, English is spoken in both the United States of America and Great Britain, but they are spoken so differently that cultural translation is often necessary for communication to take place. Do linguists consider these related languages, dialects, or the same language, and what factors go into their decision?
Asked by Mr. Cool - Mon Dec 31 15:23:01 2007 - - 6 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Dutch is a German dialect. Though considered an independent language now, it is actually Low German.
Answered by katyfleece - Mon Dec 31 21:16:57 2007

What is the difference between the various Arabic dialects?
Q. There are numerous books on the market that teach 'Arabic', but few of them state which dialect. Can anyone explain what the differences are and, more importantly, how significant they are?
Asked by Dingo Bongo - Tue Jan 22 14:09:11 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. If a book says it teaches "Arabic", it teaches a somewhat artificial language known as "Modern Standard Arabic". This variety of Arabic is a descendant of Classical Arabic, which is the language of the Koran, but represents something of a compromise dialect. It is no one's first language--it is learned from childhood as a second language. It is fairly easy for people in the Arabic world to learn since it is the language used in television broadcasts, in newspapers, whenever speaking to someone from a different Arabic country, etc. The Arabic dialects are really quite different from one another, especially Maltese. These differences are phonological, morphological, and syntactic--it's not just "slang". They are descended, like Modern… [cont.]
Answered by Taivo - Tue Jan 22 14:57:59 2008

What is the differences between the estonian dialects from Tallinn and from Tartu?
Q. Please, give me some examples of vocabularies or grammar rules that change. Or, if be possible, give me a website where I can check the main differences between them.
Asked by FMJ - Sat May 23 14:49:11 2009 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. The Tallinn dialect is considered "standard Estonian", the basis of the literary language and understood by nearly all speakers of Estonian. Tartu is a southern dialect with some differences from standard Estonian. (Most information you'll find about "south Estonian" is actually the Voru dialect which differs more greatly from standard Estonian.) Very noticeable differences in the Voru dialect are the frequent use of the vowel o and the use of the ending q in many words. For example, "tere" in standard Estonian becomes "tereq" in Voru... "welcome" is "oloq terveq tulomast". In all of the southern dialects, including Tartu, the vowels change the most (a to ae, u to o, e to i) and in Voru e changes frequently to o. Here are some examples… [cont.]
Answered by Jenny - Sat May 23 22:30:07 2009

When were English and Russian just two different dialects of the same common language?
Q. We know that all the Indo-European languages are related. If we go back 2000 years, English is just another German dialect. How far do we have to go back, and I know that it is an educated guess, to when slavic and germanic differed but slightly from each other? And is the end of the last Ice Age the beginning of our languages?
Asked by Pennsy Dutch - Sat Jan 17 06:00:53 2009 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Slavic language are, indeed, Indo-European as are the Germanic languages. The breakup of Indo-European into dialects occurred roughly about 4000 BCE. It is often associated with the Sredny Stog cultural complex of the middle Dnipr River basin in modern Ukraine. As the Sredny Stog expanded into the Yamna cultural complex about 3500 BCE, the language would have been diversifying into different dialects and different languages. Your comment about "English" and "Russian" is not quite correct, however. It would be more accurate to talk about the time when Proto-Slavic and Proto-Germanic were dialects of one language.
Answered by Taivo - Sat Jan 17 07:29:29 2009

How many Philippines dialects can you understand or speak?
Q. I'm a filipina and I only know Tagalog, Ilonggo and Cebuano. Hehehe! What do you know? Most dialects win Best Answer. No cheating or lying!
Asked by Guess What? I'm Human - Sat Dec 22 21:42:06 2007 - - 20 Answers - 2 Comments

A. Dialects I can understand: 1.Cebuano - most dialect use in Mindanao. 2.Hiligaynon - one of my bestfriend is ilonggo 3.Karay-a - we once live in a compound were they speak this dialect 4.Bit of Ilokano - my closest friend in highschool is ilokano 5.Surigaonon - my grandma is surigaonon 6.Native language of Agusanon-my mother's father[grandpa]lives there 7.Tagalog-my father is tagalog I can speak: 1.Tagalog 2.Cebuano 3.Hiligaynon 4.Native dialect of Agusanon 5.Karay-a 6.Bit of ilokano and bit of surigaonon Foreign language is not included right?so I won't list down.
Answered by freeverse - Sat Dec 22 23:29:55 2007

Is it good for one country to use several dialects of a language?
Q. Several different languages are spoken in Spain but what are the effects of it and is it a good/bad thing?
Asked by hot4jwg - Mon Oct 13 19:14:10 2008 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I think it makes some things difficult but I'm not sure that you can really say it's good or bad. It happens. Just about every country has different dialects of their primary language. Many countries recognize more than one official language. I think it ends up costing more since official signage, legal forms, etc. have to be done in more than one language. I think that differences are what make people more interesting so it's a good thing from that perspective.
Answered by Crazeddoglady - Mon Oct 13 19:23:07 2008

What causes different accents or dialects?
Q. I've always wondered this... why do different regions of the world have different accents? For instance, Britain differs from the other European countries, and yet it also differs from Scotland and Ireland who have their own unique accents. And it's entirely different than North American accents, but it seems as if it's the same family as Australian accents... why is this?
Asked by Marie McKnow - Tue Feb 10 02:06:34 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. It's simple. People in different area speak a certain way, and after a while, other people get accustomed to their speech patterns and as a result, talk in a similar fashion. Then, the entire area speaks the same way after getting accustomed. For instance, I like in Chicago, IL, but was born in Denver, Co. I now have an American Northern accent with elements of Western as well. Therefore, sometimes, works like 'talk' sounds like 'tock,' but 'caught' is different because, since I moved here, I stopped saying it as 'cot' because it's different here.
Answered by Ms. Opinionative - Tue Feb 10 02:16:01 2009

What's the difference between dialects and socialist?
Q. In linguistics?
Asked by Marisa - Sun May 17 02:11:06 2009 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. You probably meant between a dialect and a sociolect. Dialect means a variety of a language as spoken in different regions, but if it's defined by another factor, for example a social class, then it's called a sociolect. And while dialects are usually separated by geographical borders, and sociolects by social groups, they can sometimes overlap, and sociolect can often occur within dialectal regions. Cockney for example stems from the working classes of London, mainly from the East side, so it has both characteristics of a dialect and a sociolect.
Answered by Goca - Sun May 17 05:21:43 2009

I need help finding books with interesting dialects?
Q. im doing a linguistics project on dialects in post WWII British Literature and i am looking for some good books that are examples of this. books i already have in mind for the project are "let them call it jazz," "londonstani" and "a clockwork orange." the dialect can be fictional or nonfictional, but it needs to be fairly prevalent throughout the novel. any help is much appreciated.
Asked by zorxsplat - Sat Oct 18 14:38:08 2008 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. The best place I find books, regardless of the topic, is at the public library, or sometimes at a private library. You can also check out Barnes & Noble or many other online versions of book sales and stores such as Amazon and Abesbooks.
Answered by Curious_Yank_in_South_Korea - Wed Oct 22 09:20:47 2008