Dialectology

Dialectology is the discipline investigating both geographical and social variation. After discussing some of the differences and similarities concerning these two lines of research, this article discusses the works of scholars who contributed to the development of the field from the second half of the 19th century onwards. An overview of the main investigation methods and data elicitation techniques is also offered, followed by a few hints on the methodological improvements that have been made thanks to the recent electronic and digital tools for data collection, display and analysis.