Abstract
Abstract Although Saussure (1986: 200) may have had the right idea when he claimed that “there are as many dialects as places,” the notion of place is complex (Johnstone, this volume) and the term dialect tends to be associated with the kind of relic communities described by Wolfram (this volume). It is, however, not only small communities that have dialects; there are also what I have called magna-dialects (Macaulay 2002), such as American English and Australian English, and it is possible to chart the differences between the former and Canadian English and between Australian English and New Zealand English. It is hardly surprising that nations should wish to assert their independence through language, as the Norwegians did after gaining their independence from Denmark (Haugen 1966). Such an attitude is not restricted to independent countries.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
