Definition
patois
noun
- a dialect or local language, especially one that is not the standard or official language of a region
Usage: often used to describe the speech of a particular social group or region; can carry connotations of being informal or non-standard
Examples
- The locals spoke a patois that blended French and African languages.
- She struggled to understand the thick patois of the rural village.
- The novel captures the patois of working-class neighborhoods in the city.
- Musicians often incorporate patois into their lyrics to reflect their cultural identity.
- The patois spoken in Jamaica has roots in English and West African languages.
- He code-switched between formal English and the patois of his childhood community.