A speech community is a group of people who share a common language or dialect and use it to communicate with one another. This community can be defined by geographical boundaries, social networks, or shared interests. Members often develop unique linguistic features, such as specific vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar, that distinguish them from other groups. Speech communities can also influence cultural identity and social interaction. For example, a community may use language to express solidarity or to mark social status. Understanding these dynamics is important in fields like sociolinguistics and anthropology, where researchers study how language shapes and reflects social relationships.