Specifies the settings of the current connection for the
    following characteristics:

    o  Whether the length of character string parameters, columns,
       and domains are interpreted as characters or octets. This can
       also be specified by using the SET CHARACTER LENGTH statement.

    o  Whether double quotation marks are interpreted as string
       literals or delimited identifiers. This can also be specified
       by using the SET QUOTING RULES statement.

    o  Whether or not identifiers can be keywords. This can also be
       specified by using the SET KEYWORD RULES statement.

    o  Which views are read-only. This can also be specified by using
       the SET VIEW UPDATE RULES statement.

    o  Whether columns with the DATE or CURRENT_TIMESTAMP data type
       are interpreted as VMS or SQL99 format. This can also be
       specified by using the SET DEFAULT DATE FORMAT statement.

    o  Whether character sets change. Character sets can be changed
       using the SET DEFAULT CHARACTER SET, SET NATIONAL CHARACTER
       SET, SET IDENTIFIER CHARACTER SET, and SET LITERAL CHARACTER
       SET statements.

    The SET DIALECT statement lets you specify several settings with
    one command, instead of specifying each setting individually.

    The following table shows the settings for each option.

    Table 1-6 Dialect Settings

                                                         ORACLE
    Characteristic    SQL99       MIA        SQLV40      Dialects

    Character length  Characters  Characters Octets      Characters
    Quoting rules     Delimited   Delimited  Literal     Delimited
                      identi-     identi-                identifier
                      fier        fier
    Keywords allowed  No          No         Yes         Yes
    as identifiers
    View update       ANSI/ISO    ANSI/ISO   Oracle      ANSI/ISO SQL
    rules             SQL rules   SQL rules  Rdb rules   rules
    Default date      DATE ANSI   DATE ANSI  DATE VMS    DATE VMS
    format
    Default           Not         KATAKANA   Not         Not changed
    character set     changed                changed
    National          Not         KANJI      Not         Not changed
    character set     changed                changed
    Identifier        Not         DEC_KANJI  Not         Not changed
    character set     changed                changed
    Literal           Not         KATAKANA   Not         Not changed
    character set     changed                changed
    Default           Not         Deferrable Deferrable  Not
    evaluation for    Deferrable                         Deferrable
    constraints

    Oracle Corporation recommends that you set the dialect to SQL99
    or SQL92, unless you need to maintain compatibility with an
    earlier dialect.