The formal study of social dialects has received increasing attention since about the middle of the sixties. In linguistics, the study of social dialectology has resulted in the clear demonstration of the importance of sociolinguistic variation in linguistic theory in contrast to the former preoccupation with linguistic universals. In education, the analysis of social dialects has contributed to the understanding of the dialects of the minorities, particularly in teaching oral usage, reading, and writing. Also, the current concern with the unfairness of standardized testing is partially a result of the study of social dialects. In relation to other fields, dialect study has a great potential. In medicine, for example, doctors would have far better rapport with their patients from minority groups if they understood their dialects. Because descriptive studies are still lacking for many speech communities in America, the possibility of further investigation in social dialectology is insured for many years to come. (LG)