A vernacular or vernacular language is the native language or native dialect (usually colloquial or informal) of a specific population, especially as distinguished from a literary, national or standard variety of the language, or a lingua franca (also called a vehicular language) used in the region or state inhabited by that population. Some linguists use "vernacular" and "nonstandard dialect" as synonyms. 

The use of "vernacular" is not recent. In 1688, James Howell wrote: 

Concerning Italy, doubtless there were divers before the Latin did spread all over that Country; the Calabrian, and Apulian spoke Greek, whereof some Relicks are to be found to this day; but it was an adventitious, no Mother-Language to them: 'tis confess'd that Latium it self, and all the Territories about Rome, had the Latin for its maternal and common first vernacular Tongue; but Tuscany and Liguria had others quite discrepant, viz. the Hetruscane and Mesapian, whereof though there be some Records yet extant; yet there are none alive that can understand them: The Oscan, the Sabin and Tusculan, are thought to be but Dialects to these. 

Here vernacular, mother language and dialect are already in use in a modern sense. According to Merriam-Webster, "vernacular" was brought into the English language as early as 1601 from the Latin "vernaculus" ("native") which had been in figurative use in Classical Latin as "national" and "domestic", having originally been derived from "vernus" and "verna", a male or female slave respectively born in the house rather than abroad. The figurative meaning was broadened from the diminutive extended words "vernaculus, vernacula". Varro, the classical Latin grammarian, used the term "vocabula vernacula", "termes de la langue nationale" or "vocabulary of the national language" as opposed to foreign words. QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. Did the word venacular recently become a known term?
2. Has the term venacular only recently been in use?
3. Did the word venacular just recently come into existence?
Q2:
1. What does vernacular mean?
2. What is the definition of vernacular?
3. How can vernacular be defined?
Q3:
1. What are some synonyms for vernacular?
2. What are some other words for venacular?
3. What's another word one could use to replace vernacular?
Q4:
1. Whose native language was Greek?
2. Who were speakers of the Greek language?
3. What people was Greek spoken by?
Q5:
1. Whose native language was Greek, besides the Calabrians?
2. Who were speakers of the Greek language, in addition to the Calabrians?
3. What people was Greek spoken by, as did the Calabrians?
Q6:
1. When was vernacular introduced into the English language?
2. When did the word vernacular first appear in English?
3. Around what year did vernacular first start being used in English?
Q7:
1. What is the source of the claim regarding vernacular's introduction into English?
2. Who says vernacular was introduced into the English language around 1601?
3. Who claims that the first use of vernacular in English was as early as 1601?
Q8:
1. What Latin word is the English word vernacular derived from?
2. What Latin word is the base for the English vernacular?
3. What was the word in Latin for vernacular?
Q9:
1. What is the definition of the Latin word vernaculus?
2. How can the Latin vernaculus be translated into English?
3. What is the English translation of the Latin term vernaculus?
Q10:
1. How was the word vernaculus used in classical Latin?
2. What was the usage of the term vernaculus in classical Latin?
3. What purpose did the word vernaculus serve in classical Latin?
Q11:
1. What did vernaculus mean in classical Latin?
2. How was vernaculus defined in classical Latin?
3. What was meant by the term vernaculus in classical Latin?
Q12:
1. What did vernaculus mean in classical Latin, besides national?
2. How was vernaculus defined in classical Latin, in addition to national?
3. What was meant by the term vernaculus in classical Latin, besides national?
Q13:
1. What are the origins of the Latin word vernaculus?
2. From what words is the Latin vernaculus derived?
3. What words serve as the base for the Latin vernaculus?
Q14:
1. What are the definitions of Vernus and Verna?
2. What is meant by the Latin words Vernus and Verna?
3. What do the Latin Vernus and Verna mean in English?
Q15:
1. How did the words Vernus and Verna evolve Figuratively?
2. How was the figurative meaning of the words Vernus and Verna expanded?
3. In what way did the metaphorical meanings of Vernus and Verna become larger?
Q16:
1. What was Varro known as?
2. What was Varro's title?
3. What did Varro do?
Q17:
1. What terms were used by Varro?
2. What sort of words did Varro deploy?
3. What sort of language did Varro use?
Q18:
1. What terms were used by Varro, or vocabula vernacula?
2. What sort of words did Varro deploy, or vocabula vernacula?
3. What sort of language did Varro use, or vocabula vernacula?
Q19:
1. What terms were used by Varro, or vocabula vernacula, termes de la langue nationale?
2. What sort of words did Varro deploy, or vocabula vernacula, termes de la langue nationale?
3. What sort of language did Varro use, or vocabula vernacula, termes de la langue nationale?
Q20:
1. What is termes de la langue nationale the opposite of?
2. What is the opposite of vocabula vernacula?
3. What can termes de la langue nationale and vocabula vernacula be contrasted with?
