Linguistic varieties and

multilingual nations
 Vernacular languages

 Standard languages
 Lingua Francas
 Pidgins and creoles
Vernacular languages

 the native language of a specific language in a

specific place

 a native dialect of specific culture or a specific

region.

 the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary

people of a country or region. 
Cont.
 the language use spoken as one’s mother tongue;
not learned or imposed as a second language.

 It is the everyday language, including slang, that's

used by the people.

 the vernacular is different from literary or official

language; it’s way people really talk with each
other, like how families talk at home. Vernacular is
different: think of it as how friends talk when no
one is listening
  a language which has not been standardized and
which does not have official status. Vernaculars
are usually the first languages learned by people in
multilingual communities; 
 the way it is acquired in the home as a first variety.
   for instance, they are usually
referring to education in an ethnic
minority language in a particular
country. The vernacular is the
variety used for communication in
the home and with close friends. It is
the language of solidarity between
people from the same ethnic group.
 Standard languages
 language variety used by a group of people in their
public discourse

 A Standard language is generally one which is written,

and which has undergone some degree of
regularization or codification (for example, in a
grammar and a dictionary).

  the variety of a language that is considered as a better

one for its phonological, lexical, and grammatical
correctness
Characteristic of standard language;


1. A recognized dictionary (standardized

spelling and vocabulary)
2. A recognized grammar
3. A standard pronunciation (educated
speech)
 Example standard language;
Indonesia language; Dialog
Ira : Permisi. Maaf saya menggangu, bu. Bolehkah
saya bertanya ?
My Teacher : Iya. Silakan. Apa yang mau kamu
tanyakan?
Ira : Begini bu, sehubungan dengan tugas yang
anda berikan. Kapan batas pengumpulan tugasnya?
My Teacher : Batas pengumpulannya sampai
minggu depan.
Ira : Oh. Terima kasih ibu.
My Teacher : Sama-sama.
 Different between Vernacular
languages and Standard languages
 Limited used in certain  Can be used in many
area areas
 Low prestige  High prestige
 The variety used for  A prestigious variety.

daily interaction in Economic, social, and

informal domains political influences
 An uncodified or  Codified from grammar

unstandardized variety and dictionaries

Vernacular Languages Standard Languages 

 Lingua Francas

  a lingua franca (vehicular languages) is a

language used when people speaking
different vernacular dialects want to
communicate with each other. This language
is also known as a bridge language, ‘language
of the Franks,’ common language or a trade
language because it provides a way for
different ethnicities to communicate
 describes a language serving as a regular means of
communication between different linguistic
groups in a multilingual speech community.

A lingua franca is a language used for



communication between people whose first

languages differ.
 For instance,

 in a country like Kenya, there are

many vernacular languages that
people from different ethnic
groups use, but English and
Swahili represents official third-
party languages (a lingua franca)
that all ethnic groups use to
communicate.
Pidgins
 a language which has no native speakers. Pidgins
develop as a means of communication between
people who do not have a common language. So a
pidgin is no one’s native language.

 Pidgins seem particularly likely to arise when two

groups with different languages are
communicating in a situation where there is also
a third dominant language
 1. it is used in restricted domains and functions
 2. it has a simplified structure compared to the

source languages
 3. it generally has low prestige and attracts

negative attitudes – especially from outsiders

 creoles
a pidgin which has acquired
native speakers. Many of the
languages which are called
pidgins are in fact now Creole
languages. They are learned by
children as their first language and
used in a wide range of domains.
Different between Pidgins and creoles

 a pidgin is the first-  A Creole is a pidgin with

generation version of a
language that forms
between native speakers
of different languages — a
makeshift
communication bridge, if
you will.
native speakers, or one
that’s been passed down
to a second generation of
speakers who will
formalize it and fortify
the bridge into a robust
structure with a fully
developed grammar and
syntax.

Pidgins creoles