vernacular
ver-NAK-yuh-ler
/vəˈnækjələr/
The language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region.
Often used to contrast the 'common' speech with a formal, literary, or 'dead' language (like Latin).
The story behind the word. This word has a humble origin. It comes from the Latin 'verna,' meaning a slave born in their master's house. It eventually came to mean anything 'native' or 'home-grown,' specifically the language spoken at home.
Word relationships
- mother tongue: Mother tongue is more personal; vernacular is more about the social/regional group.
- literary language: Language used in formal writing, often different from daily speech.
Commonly confused with
- dialect: Dialect is a specific variation; vernacular is the general 'everyday' language of the masses.
Word family
- vernacularism (noun): A word or idiom that is part of the vernacular.
Collocations
- local vernacular
- common vernacular
- write in the vernacular
Example sentences
- "Dante was one of the first to write great poetry in the Italian vernacular rather than Latin." Historical shift in literature.
- "The cottage was built in the local vernacular style, using stones from the nearby quarry." Describing local architecture (metaphorical use).
Memory hook
Vernacular sounds like 'Vern' (a common guy). It's the language 'Vern' and his neighbors use. The language of the common man.
When not to use
Avoid using it as a simple synonym for 'slang'; vernacular refers to the whole native language system of a place.
Fun facts
- The term 'vernacular' can also apply to architecture, referring to buildings made with local materials and traditional methods.
Explore more words
prose, grassroots, folklore, vocabulary, multilingual, populace
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