English

Noun

lect ‎(plural lects)

1. (linguistics, sociolinguistics) A specific form of a language or language cluster: a language or a dialect.
   • 1980, Frederick B. Agard, The Genealogy of the French Language, published in Contributions to historical linguistics (ISBN 90-04-06130-4), 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 preferable to decide whether something is a distinct language or only a dialect of a language.

Synonyms

• variety
• code
• topolect (for a geographically defined lect)
• chronolect (for a diachronically defined lect)

Derived terms

• lectal

Translations