2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Dialect  \Di"a*lect\,  n.  [F.  dialecte,  L.  dialectus  fr  Gr  ?, 
  fr  ?  to  converse,  discourse.  See  {Dialogue}.] 
  1.  Means  or  mode  of  expressing  thoughts;  language;  tongue; 
  form  of  speech. 
 
  This  book  is  writ  in  such  a  dialect  As  may  the  minds 
  of  listless  men  affect.  Bunyan.  The  universal 
  dialect  of  the  world.  --South. 
 
  2.  The  form  of  speech  of  a  limited  region  or  people,  as 
  distinguished  from  ether  forms  nearly  related  to  it  a 
  variety  or  subdivision  of  a  language;  speech  characterized 
  by  local  peculiarities  or  specific  circumstances;  as  the 
  Ionic  and  Attic  were  dialects  of  Greece;  the  Yorkshire 
  dialect;  the  dialect  of  the  learned. 
 
  In  the  midst  of  this  Babel  of  dialects  there 
  suddenly  appeared  a  standard  English  language. 
  --Earle. 
 
  [Charles  V.]  could  address  his  subjects  from  every 
  quarter  in  their  native  dialect.  --Prescott. 
 
  Syn:  Language;  idiom;  tongue;  speech;  phraseology.  See 
  {Language},  and  {Idiom}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  dialect 
  n  :  the  usage  or  vocabulary  that  is  characteristic  of  a  specific 
  group  of  people;  "the  immigrants  spoke  an  odd  dialect  of 
  English";  "he  has  a  strong  German  accent"  [syn:  {idiom}, 
  {accent}] 

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