What is the term used for a form of language spoken by people in a specific region or group?

The term used for a form of language spoken by people in a specific region or group is "dialect." A dialect encompasses variations in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation that are unique to a particular geographic area or community. It reflects the social and cultural identity of its speakers, making it distinct from the standard form of the language.

In contrast, diction refers to the choice of words and phrases in speech or writing, focusing more on style rather than regional linguistic differences. An accent specifically relates to the pronunciation of words and is often associated with the phonetic features that distinguish speakers' regional backgrounds, rather than the broader grammatical or lexical differences that characterize a dialect. Pidgin refers to a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between speakers of different native languages, often in contexts like trade or colonization, which is distinct from the concept of a dialect that evolves within a shared linguistic community.