Minhast: Difference between revisions

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=== Intelligibility ===

Mutual intelligibility between dialectal groups is affected by several factors. As a whole, the Upper Minhast group is more grammatically conservative compared to the Lower Minhast group, but even within each group there may be great differences in the lexicon arising oftentimes from differences in environment and lifestyle that may affect intelligibility. For example, the extremely conservative Salmon Speaker dialect has nevertheless developed a specialized vocabulary for ~~nautical~~ terminology reflective of their coastal environment, while the Horse Speakers lack such terminology for the simple reason that their homeland is landlocked. Moreover, dialectal mixing is the norm, not the exception. The Gull Speakers, although grouped as a Lower Minhast dialect, can communicate with the Dog Speakers, who belong to the Upper Minhast branch, with little difficulty. This is because both Speakers share a common border and have long had extensive trade contacts with each other which has leveled lexical differences. The Osprey Speakers find the Stone Speakers almost totally unintelligible even though both belong to the Lower Minhast branch; in fact Osprey Speakers report that they can converse much more easily with the Wolf Speakers, an Upper Minhast dialect, even though the Wolf Speaker is as conservative as the Salmon Speaker dialect. Bilingualism is common, and diglossia from usage of the prestige language, Classical Minhast, also complicates the linguistic landscape.

Mutual intelligibility between dialectal groups is affected by several factors. As a whole, the Upper Minhast group is more grammatically conservative compared to the Lower Minhast group, but even within each group there may be great differences in the lexicon arising oftentimes from differences in environment and lifestyle that may affect intelligibility. For example, the extremely conservative Salmon Speaker dialect has nevertheless developed a specialized vocabulary for terminology reflective of their riverine and coastal environment, while the Horse Speakers lack such terminology for the simple reason that their homeland is landlocked. Moreover, dialectal mixing is the norm, not the exception. The Gull Speakers, although grouped as a Lower Minhast dialect, can communicate with the Dog Speakers, who belong to the Upper Minhast branch, with little difficulty. This is because both Speakers share a common border and have long had extensive trade contacts with each other which has leveled lexical differences. The Osprey Speakers find the Stone Speakers almost totally unintelligible even though both belong to the Lower Minhast branch; in fact Osprey Speakers report that they can converse much more easily with the Wolf Speakers, an Upper Minhast dialect, even though the Wolf Speaker is as conservative as the Salmon Speaker dialect. Bilingualism is common, and diglossia from usage of the prestige language, Classical Minhast, also complicates the linguistic landscape.

=== Criticisms ===

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 === Intelligibility ===
-Mutual intelligibility between dialectal groups is affected by several factors.  As a whole, the Upper Minhast group is more grammatically conservative compared to the Lower Minhast group, but even within each group there may be great differences in the lexicon arising oftentimes from differences in environment and lifestyle that may affect intelligibility.  For example, the extremely conservative Salmon Speaker dialect has nevertheless developed a specialized vocabulary for nautical terminology reflective of their coastal environment, while the Horse Speakers lack such terminology for the simple reason that their homeland is landlocked.  Moreover, dialectal mixing is the norm, not the exception.  The Gull Speakers, although grouped as a Lower Minhast dialect, can communicate with the Dog Speakers, who belong to the Upper Minhast branch, with little difficulty.  This is because both Speakers share a common border and have long had extensive trade contacts with each other which has leveled lexical differences.  The Osprey Speakers find the Stone Speakers almost totally unintelligible even though both belong to the Lower Minhast branch; in fact Osprey Speakers report that they can converse much more easily with the Wolf Speakers, an Upper Minhast dialect, even though the Wolf Speaker is as conservative as the Salmon Speaker dialect.  Bilingualism is common, and diglossia from usage of the prestige language, Classical Minhast, also complicates the linguistic landscape.
+Mutual intelligibility between dialectal groups is affected by several factors.  As a whole, the Upper Minhast group is more grammatically conservative compared to the Lower Minhast group, but even within each group there may be great differences in the lexicon arising oftentimes from differences in environment and lifestyle that may affect intelligibility.  For example, the extremely conservative Salmon Speaker dialect has nevertheless developed a specialized vocabulary for terminology reflective of their riverine and coastal environment, while the Horse Speakers lack such terminology for the simple reason that their homeland is landlocked.  Moreover, dialectal mixing is the norm, not the exception.  The Gull Speakers, although grouped as a Lower Minhast dialect, can communicate with the Dog Speakers, who belong to the Upper Minhast branch, with little difficulty.  This is because both Speakers share a common border and have long had extensive trade contacts with each other which has leveled lexical differences.  The Osprey Speakers find the Stone Speakers almost totally unintelligible even though both belong to the Lower Minhast branch; in fact Osprey Speakers report that they can converse much more easily with the Wolf Speakers, an Upper Minhast dialect, even though the Wolf Speaker is as conservative as the Salmon Speaker dialect.  Bilingualism is common, and diglossia from usage of the prestige language, Classical Minhast, also complicates the linguistic landscape.
 === Criticisms ===