What is the term for the dialect used by a specific social class?

The term that refers to the dialect used by a specific social class is sociolect. Sociolects are distinguished by the social context in which they are used, and they can vary significantly between different social groups. This can include variations in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation that reflect the culture, status, and norms of a particular social class.

Understanding sociolects is important for recognizing how language reflects social identity and can influence interactions in various contexts, such as education, employment, and community life. This concept is essential in fields such as sociolinguistics, where the relationship between language and social factors is examined. In contrast, the other terms do not specifically designate a language variety linked to social class. An idiolect refers to an individual's unique way of speaking, dialectal variation describes the differences between dialects in general, and standard language denotes a language variety that has been given a special status, often used in formal contexts.