eye dialect

noun

: the use of misspellings that are based on standard pronunciations (as sez for says or kow for cow) but are usually intended to suggest a speaker's illiteracy or his use of generally nonstandard pronunciations

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eye dialect was in 1925

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Dictionary Entries Near eye dialect

Cite this Entry

“Eye dialect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eye%20dialect. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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