| the dialects of a specific area collectively, constituting a variety of a language. |
top·o·lect  (tŏp'ə-lěkt') n. A set of similar dialects constituting any of the larger distinct regional varieties of a language. For example, Mandarin Chinese is a topolect that includes the dialects of Beijing and Nanjing, and is distinct from Hakka, another topolect of Chinese. [topo- + (dia)lect (translation of Chinese (Mandarin) fāngyán, regional speech : fāng, place + yán, language).] |
əˌlɛkt