mimolect

M3I1M3O1L1E1C3T1

noun

A xenolect that has become separated from its matrilect both geographically and communicatively.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

nounmimolect (plural mimolects)

plural mimolects

  1. A xenolect that has become separated from its matrilect both geographically and communicatively.

    As a xenolect develops, it becomes mimolect, that is, a variety whose external appearance resembles that of another (Stewart, 1989: 263-280).

    2009, Anna Maria D'Amore, Translating Contemporary Mexican Texts, →ISBN, page 110
    2 more examples

    At some point in the decreolization process, however, xenolectal structures become masked by surface-structure mimicry of the matrilect, so that the apparent degree of xenolecticity of the evolving mimolect drops below the real level, as represented by the crossover of A-B and C-D.

    1989, Ofelia García, Ricardo Otheguy, English across cultures, cultures across English, →ISBN, page 277

    In the process, as substantial numbers of black speakers underwent decreolization, their decreolized speech, although technically a mimolect, would have much of the surface form and therefore social status of a true matrilect, and would itself then serve as an additional model for those speakers further behind in the decreolization process.

    1990, Edward Herman Bendix, The Uses of Linguistics - Volume 583, →ISBN, page 43

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

mimolect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mimolect

MLA

“mimolect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mimolect. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mimolect,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mimolect.

Source: mimolect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.