Language variety world wide

One of the most fascinating aspects of languages in general is that they are alive and developing. Dialects and language variation very often are a direct effect of a language's history and development. While dialects are gradually becoming less noticeable due to the influence of mass media and individual mobility, another kind of language variety has moved into the focus of scientific attention: independent local centers have developed their unique standardized varieties.

Languages with more than one standard are called pluricentric. Possibly the best known example is English with American, Australian, British and Canadian English being on the par. Other famous examples include German, Spanish or Chinese.

Click on the world map for information on varieties of the language of interest!

What sounds like linguistic hairsplitting actually has a reverberation into real life. Those varieties are not considered to be dialects, but are equally correct and acceptable in all contexts, even academic exams and legal agreements. Find out about language varieties world wide.