AP HUG Chapter 5 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the definition of language?

the system of communication through speech, a collection of sounds that a group of people understands to have the same meaning

What is literary tradition?

a language that is written as well as spoken

What is an 'official language'?

the language adopted for use by the government for the conduct of business and publication of documents

How many estimated languages does the world currently have?

6,909 Signup and view all the answers

Define language family.

a collection of languages related to each other through a common ancestor long before recorded history Signup and view all the answers

Define language branch.

a collection of languages related through a common ancestor that existed several thousand years ago. Signup and view all the answers

Define language group.

a collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in the relatively recent past and display relatively few differences in grammar and vocabulary Signup and view all the answers

What is the order of the languages?

families, branches, groups, individual languages Signup and view all the answers

2/3 of the people in the world speak a language that belongs to which two families?

Indo-European and Afro-Asiatic Signup and view all the answers

What are the language family, branch, and group to which English belongs?

Indo-European family, Germanic Branch, West-Germanic group Signup and view all the answers

What language family is the most widely used in the world?

Indo-European Signup and view all the answers

What Sino-Tibetan language group is the most used language in the world?

Mandarin Signup and view all the answers

Give a definition and example of logograms (ideograms).

symbols that represent words, or meaningful parts of words, rather than sounds; ex: include a symbol that represents a river, plus additional strokes that alter the river in some way Signup and view all the answers

List the 4 most widely spoken Indo-European branches.

Germanic branch, Indo-Iranian branch, Balto-Slavic Branch, and Romance branch Signup and view all the answers

What language did the 'Romance Language Branch' evolve from?

Latin Signup and view all the answers

List the 4 major Romance languages.

Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian Signup and view all the answers

What 2 invasions helped to create English?

German invasion of Great Britain and the Norman invasion (1066) Signup and view all the answers

The contemporary distribution of English speakers around the world exists because ____________.

the people of England migrated with their language when they established colonies during over the course of four centuries Signup and view all the answers

Around what time period did English diffuse to North America?

early 1600's (1607) Signup and view all the answers

Give a short description of the two hypotheses on the origin and diffusion of Indo-European.

Linguists and anthropologists accept that Proto-Indo-European must have existed, but they disagree on when and where it originated and the process and routes by which it diffused. Signup and view all the answers

What is a dialect?

a regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation Signup and view all the answers

What is an isogloss?

a boundary that separates regions in which different language uses predominate Signup and view all the answers

3 ways English differs between the US and England:

vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation Signup and view all the answers

How did Spanish and Portuguese diffuse throughout South America?

by Spanish and Portuguese explorers Signup and view all the answers

What is a Creole?

a language that results from the mixing of a colonizer's language with the indigenous language of the people being dominated Signup and view all the answers

What language has become the principal language of communication and interaction for the entire world?

English Signup and view all the answers

What is Basque and its significance regarding isolation?

Basque is the only language currently spoken in Europe that survives from the period before the arrival of Indo-European speakers. Signup and view all the answers

What are extinct languages?

a language that was once used by people in daily activities but is no longer used Signup and view all the answers

What is Hebrew's status as an extinct language?

When Israel was established as an independent country, Hebrew became one of the new country's two official languages, along with Arabic. Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of pidgin language?

a form of speech that adopts a simplified grammar and limited vocabulary of a lingua franca; used for communications among speakers of two different languages Signup and view all the answers

Are there any native speakers in the pidgin language?

False Signup and view all the answers

What is Ebonics?

a dialect spoken by some African Americans Signup and view all the answers

What is Franglais?

a term used by the French for English words that have entered the French language Signup and view all the answers

What is Spanglish?

a combination of Spanish and English spoken by Hispanic Americans Signup and view all the answers

What issues does Quebec face regarding French language use?

the Quebec government has made the use of French mandatory in many daily activities Signup and view all the answers

What role does English play on the Internet?

The US created the English-language nomenclature for the Internet that the rest of the world has followed. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Language and Communication

Language is a communication system through speech, consisting of sounds understood by a group as having the same meaning.
Literary tradition refers to languages that are both written and spoken forms.

Language Structure and Classification

An official language is designated for government use in business and document publication.
The world has approximately 6,909 languages, emphasizing vast linguistic diversity.
Language families are collections of languages linked through a common ancestor from pre-recorded history.
Language branches share a common ancestor from several thousand years ago; differences are less extensive than those in language families.
Language groups consist of languages within a branch that share a recent common origin and have minor differences in grammar and vocabulary.

Language Hierarchy

Languages are classified in a hierarchy: families, branches, groups, and individual languages.
Approximately two-thirds of people speak languages from the Indo-European and Afro-Asiatic families.

English Language Characteristics

English belongs to the Indo-European family, specifically the Germanic branch and West-Germanic group.
Indo-European is the most widely used language family globally.
Mandarin is the most spoken language within the Sino-Tibetan language group.
Logograms represent words or meaningful parts of words, differing from sound-based systems like English.
Major branches of the Indo-European family include Germanic, Indo-Iranian, Balto-Slavic, and Romance.

Evolution of Romance Languages

The Romance languages evolved from Latin, with the four major languages being Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian.
English evolved significantly due to the German and Norman invasions in Great Britain, resulting in a mixture of German and French elements.

English Global Distribution

The spread of English is linked to English migration and colonialism over four centuries.
The early 1600s marked the diffusion of English to North America.

Indo-European Hypotheses

Linguists debate the origins of Indo-European language, while both acknowledge Proto-Indo-European as a common ancestor.
The Nomadic Warrior Hypothesis suggests diffusion was through conquest, while the Sedentary Farmer Hypothesis argues for agricultural spread.

Language Variation and Boundaries

A dialect is a regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.
Isoglosses are boundaries separating different language uses.

English Variations

Key differences in English between the US and England are found in vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Language Diffusion in South America

Spanish and Portuguese spread in South America through explorers.

Creole and Lingua Franca

A creole language arises from mixing a colonizer's language with indigenous tongues.
Lingua franca refers to a common language used for trade among speakers of different native languages.

Pidgin Language

Pidgin is a simplified speech form that combines elements from various languages for communication.
Pidgins do not have native speakers and are used alongside one's native language.

Cultural Dialects

Ebonics is a dialect associated with some African Americans.
Franglais and Spanglish are mixtures of French and English and Spanish and English, respectively.

Quebec Language Policy

Quebec mandates French use in various activities while facing challenges in immigrant integration.
Voters have narrowly rejected separation from Canada, fostering cooperation between French and English speakers.

English's Dominance Online

English-language nomenclature for the Internet is primarily US-created, establishing its global dominance in online contexts.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts from Chapter 5 of AP Human Geography. This quiz covers definitions related to language, including literary tradition and official languages. Perfect for students preparing for exams or revisiting important terms.