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?
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Define language family.
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Define language branch.
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Define language group.
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What is the order of the languages?
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2/3 of the people in the world speak a language that belongs to which two families?
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What are the language family, branch, and group to which English belongs?
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What language family is the most widely used in the world?
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What Sino-Tibetan language group is the most used language in the world?
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Give a definition and example of logograms (ideograms).
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List the 4 most widely spoken Indo-European branches.
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What language did the 'Romance Language Branch' evolve from?
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List the 4 major Romance languages.
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What 2 invasions helped to create English?
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The contemporary distribution of English speakers around the world exists because ____________.
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Around what time period did English diffuse to North America?
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Give a short description of the two hypotheses on the origin and diffusion of Indo-European.
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What is a dialect?
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What is an isogloss?
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3 ways English differs between the US and England:
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How did Spanish and Portuguese diffuse throughout South America?
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What is a Creole?
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What language has become the principal language of communication and interaction for the entire world?
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What is Basque and its significance regarding isolation?
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What are extinct languages?
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What is Hebrew's status as an extinct language?
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What is the definition of pidgin language?
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Are there any native speakers in the pidgin language?
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What is Ebonics?
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What is Franglais?
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What is Spanglish?
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What issues does Quebec face regarding French language use?
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What role does English play on the Internet?
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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.
Studying That Suits You
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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.