dialectal

American  

[dahy-uh-lek-tl] / ˌdaɪ əˈlɛk tl /

adjective

1. of a dialect.

2. characteristic of a dialect.

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Commonly Confused

In linguistics dialectal, not dialectical, is the term more commonly used to denote regional or social language variation: Dialectal variation is more marked in the South than elsewhere in the United States. In general writing either term may be found.

Other Word Forms

• dialectally adverb
• interdialectal adjective
• interdialectally adverb
• nondialectal adjective
• nondialectally adverb
• subdialectal adjective
• subdialectally adverb

Etymology

Origin of dialectal

First recorded in 1825–35; dialect + -al ¹

Example Sentences

This is a challenge, given the enormous dialectal diversity of colloquial Arabic.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2015

Why Disney decided to abandon dialectal Arabic for “Frozen” is perplexing, and the reaction has been mixed.

From The New Yorker • May 30, 2014

What is missing is a constituency for cultural production in dialectal Arabic.

From The New Yorker • May 30, 2014

Her prep work also includes researching dialectal signs to ensure accuracy and authenticity.

From Slate • Jun. 21, 2013

Without these agencies which do so much to promote uniformity to-day, Italy and the rest of the Empire must have shown greater dialectal differences than we observe in American English or in British English even.

From The Common People of Ancient Rome Studies of Roman Life and Literature by Abbott, Frank Frost