Geographical Variations of English
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Questions and Answers

What is an example of a grammatical variant with changes in morphology?

  • cut a sad figure
  • sell like hot cakes
  • the bitter bitten (correct)
  • pay lip-service

    • Which of the following represents a semantic relation within idiomatic expressions?

  • to a tee
  • air and grace
  • run amok
  • where there's smoke, there's fire (correct)

    • What distinguishes geographical variants in English idioms?

  • They are exclusively used in written form.
  • They have different meanings in different cultures.
  • They are preferred in specific English-speaking regions. (correct)
  • They utilize different morphological structures.

    • Which of the following is an example of an orthographic variant?

    <p>pay lip service</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of variant includes expressions with optional parts?

    <p>quantitative variants</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes words that are joined together without spaces?

    <p>Closed compounds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of an open compound?

    <p>Middle class</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following defines a 'platitude'?

    <p>A remark that has become meaningless due to overuse</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes a 'maxim' from other sayings?

    <p>It expresses a rule for behavior or principle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is typically used interchangeably with 'proverb'?

    <p>Saying</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of a 'truism'?

    <p>To state an obvious fact</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best defines an 'adage'?

    <p>A widely known and accepted saying</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a hyphenated compound?

    <p>Half-sister</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following idioms is considered a formal idiom?

    <p>fall prey to sb/sth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of idiom is 'be my guest' classified as?

    <p>Informal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which idiom has a derogatory connotation?

    <p>mutton dressed (up) as lamb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a very informal idiom?

    <p>take a leak</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An example of a euphemistic idiom is:

    <p>be economical with the truth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which idiom is considered humorous?

    <p>have a bun in the oven</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are idioms that are often used in a different form for stylistic exploitation seen in?

    <p>Fiction and mass media</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which idiom is identified as old-fashioned?

    <p>give up the ghost</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which idiom means to have complete control over someone?

    <p>Call the tune</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Identify an example of synonymous idioms.

    <p>Be rolling in it - have money to burn</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which pair of idioms represents antonyms?

    <p>Swim with the tide - swim against the tide</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an idiomatic cluster?

    <p>A series of idioms that share a common lexical component</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which idiomatic expression indicates a very informal context?

    <p>Stop/shut one's mouth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the meaning of the idiom 'on the up and up'?

    <p>To be progressing positively</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which idiomatic expression is an example of homonymy?

    <p>Lose one's nerve - lose one's nerves</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following expressions can be classified as a vulgar idiom?

    <p>Not give/care a fuck</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of a birthing room?

    <p>To provide a relaxed environment for labor and childbirth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'frontliner' refer to?

    <p>An essential worker with in-person interaction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes 'physical distancing'?

    <p>Maintaining a certain distance to limit contact</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'futzing' imply?

    <p>Wasting time aimlessly</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following definitions is correct for 'self-isolated'?

    <p>Isolating oneself from others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a major focus of Albert Sydney Hornby's work on dictionaries?

    <p>Simplifying explanations for English learners</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant change did the Collins dictionary introduce in 1979?

    <p>An intermediate learner’s dictionary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'deprioritize' mean?

    <p>To treat something of lowest importance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of idioms are considered identical between American and British English?

    <p>Idioms that have the same form and meaning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process is described as the most productive word-formation process?

    <p>Compounding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following represents a minor meaning of the word 'hand'?

    <p>Hand of a clock</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of idioms does Australian English include?

    <p>Both British and American idioms and its own</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary characteristic of suffixation as a word-formation process?

    <p>It is the most productive word-formation process</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of affixation?

    <p>Self-isolated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of meanings, what defines the dominant meaning of a word?

    <p>A meaning that is equally representative and clear in isolation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following pairs represents a grammatical variant of an idiom?

    <p>Head of the table and head at the table</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Geographical Variations of English

    • The national language of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
    • An official or semi-official language of communication in many other countries
    • Regional variations exist, particularly in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar

    Standard English and Geographical Varieties

    • Standard English (General English or Mainstream English) has a widely accepted codified grammar and vocabulary
    • It is the variety normally used in writing and spoken by educated speakers
    • Regional variants and local dialects, such as British English and American English, are common

    Lexical Differences in Geographical Varieties

    • Different countries exhibit unique vocabulary, reflecting localized usage
    • For example, Australian English has words like "crook" (bad), "arvo" (afternoon), and "dinkum" (genuine); and Canadian English uses "pogey" (dole), "tuque" (cap)

    Welsh, Scottish, and Irish English

    • Scottish English, Irish English and Welsh English show less distinct regional variations and less institutionalization
    • They may use their own unique words or expressions

    Compounds

    • Endocentric compounds: include both the determinant and determinatum, like "ashtray"
    • Exocentric compounds: do not include the determinatum, like "hangover"
    • Dvandva compounds: combine two independent entities, like "Coca-Cola"
    • Bahuvrihi compounds: name something based on a striking characteristic, like "black-shirt" or "white collar".

    Proverbs and Sayings

    • Proverbs and sayings often have socio-cultural value
    • Their meanings are frequently overlapping

    Stylistic Classification of Idioms

    • Idioms can be classified by formality
    • Informal idioms are common in informal contexts
    • Formal idioms are better suited for serious, official or literary settings

    Emotionally Colored Idioms

    • Idioms can reflect different emotions or attitudes, such as derogatory, humorous or ironic
    • These stylistic differences often depend on the context in which they're used and the overall communicative style.

    Variations in Idioms

    • Idioms may have variations in terms of their spelling, grammar, or use of different words
    • The complete disentegration of an idiom could happen if the lexical components are separated

    Polysemy of English Words

    • Polysemy describes a word or phrase having multiple related meanings
    • The context is key in determining the specific meaning
    • Words in English often have multiple meanings and this is a common feature of language evolution.
    • Compounding is a productive word-formation process, common in creating new nouns
    • Affixation, including prefixes and suffixes, is also a productive word-formation process in English

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    Geographical Variations of English PDF

    Description

    Explore the differences in English language usage across various countries, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This quiz will test your knowledge on standard English and its regional variations, including dialects and unique vocabulary. Understand how geography influences language.

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