Where does “dialect” come from?
dialect (Dutch) comes from Middle French dialecte, from Latin dialectos, from Ancient Greek διάλεκτος, from Ancient Greek διαλέγομαι, from Ancient Greek δῐᾰ-, from Ancient Greek διά, from Proto-Indo-European dwís, from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ — two.
dialect (Dutch): dialect; non-standard dialect; vernacular
Definitions
- dialect; non-standard dialect; vernacular
Ancestry of “dialect”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | dialecte | dialect |
| 2 | Latin | dialectos | a dialect; Nihilo lenior in convictores... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | διάλεκτος | discourse, conversation; manner of speech,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | διαλέγομαι | I converse, hold a discussion, debate, argue; I... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | δῐᾰ- | apart; through, across; through; in different... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | διά | throughout |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dwís | twice, doubly; in two |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dwóh₁ | two |