DIALECT, an appellation given to the language of a province in ſo far as it differs from that of the whole kingdom. The term, however, is more particularly uſed in ſpeaking of the ancient Greek, whereof there were four dialects, the Attic, Ionic, Æolic, and Doric; each of which was a perfect language in its kind, that took place in certain countries, and had peculiar beauties.
In Great Britain, beſides the grand diversity of Engliſh and Scotch, almoſt every county has a dialect of its own, all differing conſiderably in pronunciation, accent, and tone, although one and the ſame language.