Dialect levelling

Question 0

Who is the theorist for dialect levelling?

Answer 0

Paul Kerswill

Question 1

What is dialect levelling?

Answer 1

A process where modern urban dialects move closer to spoken standard English over time, while retaining their own distinctive forms

Question 2

Why are some traditional rural dialects in decline?

Answer 2

• Under pressure from standard English because of education, media, global capitalisation
• Under pressure from mainstream urban dialects
  - young people moving away to urban areas and bringing back mainstream urban dialects that are closer to RP