Ethnolect

Dialects, sociolects, ethnolects... What are they, and how do they differ? Today, we will focus on ethnolect, a type of dialect that focuses on ethnicity.

Definition of Ethnolect

An ethnolect is a distinctive form of a language that is specific to certain ethnic groups.

Ethnolects are used by members of different ethnic groups to help establish personal and ethnic identity, as well as reflect their position in society. They also help outsiders understand the characteristics of certain ethnic groups and the different ways people can express themselves through language.

Race vs ethnicity

What is the difference between race and ethnicity? These are two terms that are often confused with one another, but it is important to be aware of their differences:

Migrant Ethnolects

Many ethnolects are created as a result of the immigration of people from other countries. These ethnolects are often used amongst migrant families to communicate more effectively, particularly amongst those who do not speak English as a first language. It is common within today's society for the younger generations of migrant families to use ethnolects to better communicate with the older generations.

Fig. 1 - Most ethnolects are used by migrant families.

Most of the examples of ethnolects we will look at below were (and still are) used by immigrants. Let's take a look at them:

Ethnolect Examples

Some examples of ethnolects are as follows:

• African American Vernacular English
• Chicano English (aka Hispanic Vernacular English)
• Jewish American English
• Greek Australian English

African American Vernacular English

One of the most well-known ethnolects is African American Vernacular English (AAVE), also known as 'ebonics'. This is a language variety influenced by African languages, spoken mostly by working or middle-class African Americans (and some Black Canadians).

AAVE originated in the 17th and 18th centuries, during the British colonisation of the USA. Over this period of time, the transatlantic slave trade was taking place, meaning many Africans were shipped to the USA and forced into slavery. Many of the African captives spoke different native languages, so needed a common language to communicate with each other (and communicate with their captors too). While captive, they were introduced to a range of different British dialects and were influenced by the language. As a result, this led to a gradual language change and the development of AAVE.

Have you heard of any of the following phrases? They are examples of current AAVE phrases:

• We been knew.
• Chile, anyways.
• I'm finna do it.
• I ain't never seen anything like it.

Although AAVE is a dialect, it is often wrongly mistaken for Gen Z slang. This leads to younger generations possibly appropriating words rooted in AAVE. It is important to respect the origin of ethnolects and be aware of appropriating a language that is rooted in history or slavery.

Chicano English

Chicano English, also known as Hispanic Vernacular English, is a Mexican ethnolect influenced by Spanish. It is spoken mostly by native Mexican Americans. Although Chicano English speakers are often bilingual (speaking two languages), many are monolingual (speaking one language). Chicano English was created as a result of mass Mexican immigration into the USA in the 20th century.

Chicano English sometimes anglicises Spanish words, which means changing the form and/or pronunciation of a Spanish word to make it more familiar to English speakers. For example, the suffix 'ing' could be added to the end of a Spanish word to make it sound more English:

Chicano English is a fully formed English ethnolect and is not to be confused with Spanglish, which is the blending of both Spanish and English words and grammar.

Jewish American English

Jewish American English refers to the language variety spoken by Jews in America that is often influenced by Yiddish and Hebrew. It first developed after the mass migration of Yiddish-speaking Jews from Eastern Europe to the US. However, it is worth mentioning that not all Jewish Americans are descended from Yiddish-speakers.

Greek Australian English

This is a Greek ethnolect spoken by Greek immigrants in Australia. It has been used for the past 170 years. One prominent feature of Greek Australian English is the deletion of certain words. For example:

Multiethnolect Example

A multiethnolect is a kind of ethnolect that is not restricted to a single ethnic group. Multiethnolects are influenced by many different languages, and the speakers of these multiethnolects often come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. There is more of a focus on where people live and the neighbourhoods they grow up in, as opposed to their nationality (or the nationalities of their parents).

Fig. 2 - Multiethnolects are not restricted to one ethnicity.

In Europe - and especially larger European cities - there are many different ethnolects due to a large amount of immigration and ethnic diversity. Let's take the German multiethnolects as an example:

German multiethnolect

In Germany, there have been a variety of multiethnolects, all of which have slightly different language influences. However, the one language that has had the most notable influence on each German multiethnolect is Turkish. The multiethnolect that is primarily influenced by Turkish is known as Türkendeutsch.

Difference Between Ethnolect and Dialect

Although ethnolects and dialects can become confused with one another, there are differences between them both. Let's begin by defining what a dialect is.

Unlike an ethnolect, a dialect is not dependent on ethnicity alone. Instead, the specific groups of people are connected through a range of social factors, such as region, gender, age, ethnicity, job, etc. On the other hand, an ethnolect is a type of dialect that focuses solely on ethnic groups.