Language and Logic

   Logic uses language, but language itself is not logical.
   Pronunciation and spelling vary by region and social level, and the only thing that gives one dialect more prestige than another is the prestige of its speakers.
   In that context, "dialect" has acquired some negativity, leading speakers of the prestige group to insist that their speech is "correct," while others are dismissed as "only a dialect."
   That said, however, there is a standardized system of spelling, punctuation, grammar and speaking which has acquired the label of "preferred." The advantage of a standard dialect is that it enables those of various other speech and reading patterns to understand each other. This is not to say that the so-called "standard" dialect is inherently better, but only that it facilitates communication.
   Dialects, in both spelling and speech patterns, vary by region as well as social groups. Along the East Coast of America, for example, and even with some major cities, there are many variations. People in the Boston area are identifiable by their speech patterns, as are people in New York City, Philadelphia, Virginia, Alabama and Mississippi. Yet they all use a standard system of spelling, even as pronunciation varies so much as to make communication difficult between a Brooklyn cab driver and an Alabama farmer.
   Meanwhile, those who seek careers in broadcasting, show business or politics often abandon their native dialects in favor of what has become a "standard." However, they remain capable of return to their "home" dialect when needed. This is especially true of politicians, who may speak one way in the halls of Congress, but quite another when stumping for re-election back home.
   Every trade or profession has its own set of words, phrases and pronunciations to set it apart from others, as well as to keep out non-members of the self-imposed inner circle.
   This is known as jargon.
   Some of the so-called higher professions, such as law and medicine, use a Latin-based vocabulary as their jargon. This is another way of adding even more prestige to themselves and their professions, while keeping out others. In addition, it gives them the opportunity of translating the academic jargon into plainer language, as if they were doing their clients a favor.
   Journalists, meanwhile, have a habit of translating the polysyllabic Latin and Greek-based legal and medical terms into plainer, single syllable Anglo-Saxon based English terms for faster, easier understanding by readers.
   May it always be so.
   In fairness, however, it must be acknowledged that using Latin and Greek terms, especially in medicine, enables health care professionals in different countries with different languages to have a common set of terms.
   But that means it's really just another jargon, albeit one with more prestige. And there's no logic to that. It just is.