nonstandard

Outside accepted norms

Nonstandard describes language that deviates from the prestige dialect—the variety taught in schools and expected in formal writing.

A nonstandard form like ain't or he don't isn't wrong in any absolute sense; it simply marks the speaker as outside certain social or educational norms.

Linguists use the term descriptively, without judgment.

deviant

aberrant

Departing from what's typical

anomalousDeviating from expected norms
irregularDeviating from normal patterns
atypicalNot conforming to type

abnormal · deviant · outlier · noncompliant · nonconforming · variant · divergent · defective · flawed · subpar

linguistics

dialect

Regional language variety

vernacularEveryday regional speech
colloquialCasual, everyday language
pidginImprovised contact language

creole · slang · jargon · usage · variant · localism · regionalism · sociolect · idiolect · patois

unconventional

unorthodox

Contrary to accepted practice

alternativeAnother available choice
nontraditionalDeparting from established norms
offbeatPleasantly strange or unusual

maverick · eccentric · bohemian · counterculture · fringe · experimental · avant-garde · iconoclastic · radical · heterodox

noncompliant

Failing to conform

nonconformingNot adhering to norms
unapprovedNot officially permitted
unauthorizedNot officially permitted

unlicensed · uncertified · unregulated · off-label · bootleg · knockoff · counterfeit · pirated · unofficial · unsanctioned

nonstandard

aberrant

dialect

unorthodox

noncompliant

nonstandard

Opposites

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