Handling Distinct Dialects Within a Unified Language Framework

[M Matunga]

Hello,

Is there a way to add a dialect of a default language without interfering with the language's abbreviation/code?

I’m asking in a situation where the dialects are somewhat distant from each other but still fall under the same language and share the same ISO code. I would like to:

• Add the dialect as its own category, similar to the default language.

• Include it under reversal entries separately.

• Ensure that the default definition or entry links back or points to the main (referral) language, like how English might work as a base example.

Could you kindly assist or advise on how this can be done?

[Ron Moe]

This issue has been discussed for many years. The basic problem is that dialectal variants can differ in any and all ways. In some cases a variant has to be treated in a different way than its variant so that the structure of the data is different. For instance the American English word 'hood (of a car)' is a variant of 'bonnet'. So each variant is a sense of a different lexeme. Where do you put the information on this word--under 'hood' or under 'bonnet'. In a Bantu language a noun can belong to a different noun class. Where does this information go so that the parser knows what noun class to expect? Essentially you need two dictionaries, one for each dialect. Trying to create all the extra fields and build the extra structure in one program becomes an insurmountable task.

If your two dialects are very similar, you can set up a dialect field that would merely state what the variant is and how it differs from the "primary" dialect. This field would be ignored in other fields and functions such as the parser.

Ron Moe

--
"FLEx list" messages are public. Only members can post.
flex_d...@sil.org
http://groups.google.com/group/flex-list.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "FLEx list" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to flex-list+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/flex-list/7a6e0bf2-33f3-4e15-b3a1-48b329a66b0cn%40googlegroups.com.

[Beth-docs Bryson]

What you are describing sounds like setting up a separate analysis Writing System.  Based on the things you are saying, that sounds like it would fit your situation better than setting up a Variant for each form, as Ron Moe was describing.  As Ron said, that is appropriate when there are a relatively small number of forms that are different.

This lesson in the DLS Lexicography Course explains about setting up writing systems, including how to set up a variant writing system.  It focuses on variant writing systems that use a different script for the same language, but there is a field for "variant" where you could specify that it's a different dialect.

https://sites.google.com/sil.org/dls-lex101/home-lessons/b-database-preparation/writing-systems

I think that will give you what you need, but if it doesn't, ask again.

If you want to take the whole course (it's free), the home page is here:

https://sites.google.com/sil.org/dls-course/home

It is a really valuable way to learn all sorts of things about how to do lexicography with FLEx.

-Beth

On Sat, Jul 12, 2025 at 12:06 AM M Matunga <my1k...@gmail.com> wrote:

--