3 ms·

Could you talk some more about this? I've heard the counterargument about an overwhelming number of incompatible regional dialects too often.

• JanezStupar 14y ago
  Every language has is fair share of incomprehensible dialects. Yes Brits and Germans I am looking at you.
• edent 14y ago
  The way I've heard it explained (and I only studied Mandarin for a year) is that a common language and writing can be simultaneously compatible and incompatible. Consider these stereotypes - an urban youth from inner city America and a gruff old Yorkshireman. Both speak English and use the same alphabet and mostly the same words. Yet the syntax and slang differences each have could render the dialects meaningless to each other. But, write down what they are saying and suddenly the meaning becomes a lot clearer. Yes, there are differences, but you can probably work your way around them.