Vernacular vs Dialect

Vernacular refers to the way people talk in a casual conversation, instead of using standard rule of the language. It is informal and using everyday vocabulary and slang, not the “native” way of speaking. For example:

• “gonna” instead of “going to”
• “he’s not going nowhere” instead of “he’s not going anywhere” (double negative)
• “it’s wicked cold today” means it’s very cold.

The double negative meaning is differ from the native english and vernacular way. It should cancels the previous negative and become a positive sentence. But many english speaker use it as a intensifier of the negation as standard.

Vernacular is often described as the most natural way to speak.

What’s the difference to dialect?

Dialect is a different version of a language with its own grammar, accent, and words. Usually it’s regional. Different region has different dialects, like Cockney in London and Yorkshire in North England.

This is also why Bahasa Indonsia learners find a hard time to understand locals.

Indonesian learners study formal and standard Indonesian language (bahasa baku). Meanwhile locals use a distinct version of Indonesian that already vernacularized (bahasa gaul). We don’t say “Saya tidak tahu”, we say “nggak tau.” Many words are dismissed from the sentence for simplicity.

But bahasa gaul and bahasa baku are coexisted in the society, each are used depending on the situation. This is called diglossia.

Another example of diglossia is Arabic Fusha—which used in the holy Al-Quran—and Arabic Amiyah that is used in daily life. Same like bahasa gaul, Arabic Amiyah speakers cut out i’rab (last harakat) of words for simpler pronunciation.