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A language is a dialect with an army and (a) navy
a language is a dialect with an army and (a) navy
01
used to imply that the distinction between a language and a dialect is often determined by political power and influence rather than inherent linguistic differences
Proverb
Example
While all forms of speech are valuable and deserve respect, some varieties are associated with more power and prestige - a language is a dialect with an army and navy, so be aware of the political factors that influence our perceptions of language.
