Final answer:
Standard American English is an English dialect that follows specific rules for syntax, vocabulary, and grammar, and is used in formal situations. It can be used as a benchmark to determine if something is an accent or dialect.
Step-by-step explanation:
Standard American English is a type of English dialect that follows specific rules for syntax, vocabulary, and grammar. It is often considered more academic and is used in formal situations. This dialect is spoken by newscasters, television news anchors, and a large percentage of middle-class Americans with formal educations.
English dialects have many features in common, but each has particulars of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Standard American English is one such dialect, as are African American Vernacular English, Creole, Appalachian English, and others. These dialects vary based on geographical region, ethnicity, and social group.
When determining if something is an accent or dialect, Standard American English can be used as a benchmark for comparison. English variants specific to certain regions, ethnicities, or social groups may have distinct pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar that differ from Standard American English.