Here's why:
* Isolation: When groups of people are separated geographically or socially, they experience limited contact with other speakers of the same language.
* Divergence: Over time, the isolated groups develop their own unique ways of speaking, leading to differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and even the meaning of words.
Other terms related to language variation:
* Dialect: A regional or social variety of a language.
* Accent: The way someone pronounces a language, often influenced by their regional or social background.
* Pidgin: A simplified language that develops when speakers of different languages need to communicate.
* Creole: A pidgin language that has become the native language of a community.
Let me know if you have any other questions!