sociolect

A sociolect is a variation of a language used by a particular social group. It reflects attributes like age, education, occupation, or social class. Sociolects influence vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, helping members identify each other and express shared identity. For example, teenagers might use slang different from professionals or older generations. These differences are natural and help distinguish social groups, but they don't usually prevent understanding across groups. Sociolects highlight how language evolves within communities, showing the relationship between language, identity, and social factors.