1. a situation in which two distinct varieties of a language are used by speakers in different social contexts, with one variety typically considered more prestigious or formal than the other.
Usage: linguistics term; commonly used in sociolinguistics and language studies

Examples

• Diglossia is common in Arabic-speaking countries, where Modern Standard Arabic is used in formal settings and regional dialects in everyday conversation.
• Switzerland exhibits diglossia with Standard German used in schools and media, while Swiss German dialects dominate casual speech.
• The linguist studied diglossia in the community to understand how speakers switch between the formal and informal varieties.
• Diglossia can affect language learning, as students must master both the high and low varieties of their language.
• In Greece, diglossia between Katharevousa and Demotic Greek influenced education policy for decades.
• The concept of diglossia helps explain why some speakers feel more comfortable in certain social situations than others.