Linguistics 70 – Winter 2009
Assignment 2
Due Thursday January 22
For this assignment you will need to visit The Dialectizer at the following website:
http://rinkworks.com/dialect/
The Dialectizer takes text (which you provide) and claims to render it in a non-standard dialect,
solely for comedic intent. You can enter words or phrases, or you can have entire web
documents re-interpreted with this interface. The website provides with a list of dialects to
choose from.
Use the “Dialectize Text” option to test the Dialectizer. Explore at least three dialects in more
detail by typing in different texts and seeing how the Dialectizer renders them. Repeat these
steps using the “Dialectize a Web Page” option, using a news item from an online edition of a
widely read newspaper (such as the Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco
Chronicle, or Los Angeles Times).
Finally, read the “Not Discriminatory” statement by following the link at the bottom of the page.
(direct link: http://rinkworks.com/dialect/discrim.shtml)
1. What are some of the rules that the Dialectizer uses to create various dialects? Try to
find examples of (a) entire words being changed, (b) spelling tricks to represent non-
standard pronunciation, (c) other grammatical alterations, for example to the form of
verbs.
2. Do you think the Dialectizer’s representations of dialects fairly represent actual speech?
Explain your answer, and think in terms both of detail and accuracy.
3. Do you agree with the site’s claim that it is not discriminatory? Why or why not? Do not
limit your discussion to the dialects you focus on in the previous two questions.