Definition

Proper noun 1. A historical dialect of English: Refers specifically to one of the major dialects of Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and also to a dialect of Middle English, spoken in the region of Kent in southeastern England.

Usage

• Proper noun: The term is used primarily in historical and linguistic contexts to classify and discuss the specific linguistic features of English as it was spoken in Kent.
  • Scholars study Kentish to understand the regional variations in Old English.
  • The Kentish dialect had distinct phonological characteristics.

Advanced Usage

• Kentish fire: An idiom referring to prolonged, rhythmic applause or, conversely, to a sustained chorus of jeering or protest.
  • The speaker was greeted with Kentish fire from his supporters.
  • The unpopular policy was met with Kentish fire from the crowd.

Variants and Related Words

• Kent: The modern county in England from which the dialect takes its name.
• Old English Kentish: The specific form of the dialect from the Anglo-Saxon period.
• Middle English Kentish: The evolved form of the dialect from the medieval period.

Synonyms

• Dialect of Kent: A more descriptive synonym.
• Anglian (in specific contexts): Kentish is sometimes grouped under the broader Anglian branch of Old English dialects, alongside Mercian and Northumbrian.

Related Idioms

• Kentish fire: As defined in 'Advanced Usage'.

Noun

1. a dialect of Middle English
2. one of the major dialects of Old English