People typically adjust their way of speaking to different situations. Language is often a powerful symbol of ethnic identity. People make language choices for a number of reasons, including economic advancement, a desire for education, intermarriage, etc. A language consists of mutually intelligible dialects. Dialects may be based on differences of geography, social class, gender, age, etc.
People have strong feelings about dialect and language differences.
People may have negative attitudes about languages around them. People may have negative attitudes about their own language. It is important to understand people's attitudes towards various types of language. A living language is a throbbing, vital thing, ever changing, ever growing and mirroring the people who speak it and write it. It has its roots in the masses, though its superstructure may represent the culture of a few.