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Questions and Answers
What is the primary characteristic of languages within the same language family?
What is the primary characteristic of languages within the same language family?
- They share identical grammatical structures.
- They are spoken in geographically adjacent regions.
- They are derived from a shared ancestor language. (correct)
- They have similar numbers of native speakers.
Comparative analysis, in the context of linguistic studies, involves the comparison of what?
Comparative analysis, in the context of linguistic studies, involves the comparison of what?
- Vocabulary and phonological forms across different languages. (correct)
- The population sizes of different linguistic groups.
- The political histories of different language-speaking communities.
- The literary traditions of various cultures.
Which of the following best describes 'lexical borrowing' in linguistics?
Which of the following best describes 'lexical borrowing' in linguistics?
- Adopting words from one language into another. (correct)
- The process of languages converging to a single, universal vocabulary.
- Reviving archaic words that have fallen out of common usage.
- Creating new words from existing morphemes within a language.
What might linguists use as evidence of a relationship between two languages, beyond simple vocabulary comparisons?
What might linguists use as evidence of a relationship between two languages, beyond simple vocabulary comparisons?
The Proto-Indo-European language is considered to be what?
The Proto-Indo-European language is considered to be what?
Why is the Proto-Indo-European language referred to as 'hypothetical'?
Why is the Proto-Indo-European language referred to as 'hypothetical'?
How can seemingly similar words in two unrelated languages be explained?
How can seemingly similar words in two unrelated languages be explained?
In the context of language families, what does 'proto' signify when used as a prefix (e.g. Proto-Germanic)?
In the context of language families, what does 'proto' signify when used as a prefix (e.g. Proto-Germanic)?
Which of the following is an example of comparative analysis used to determine language relationships?
Which of the following is an example of comparative analysis used to determine language relationships?
If English and German are considered "sisters" descended from Proto-Germanic, what is Latin in relation to Spanish, French, and Italian?
If English and German are considered "sisters" descended from Proto-Germanic, what is Latin in relation to Spanish, French, and Italian?
What is one reason why languages with similar-sounding words may NOT be related?
What is one reason why languages with similar-sounding words may NOT be related?
Considering systematic phonological patterns, if a language family demonstrates a consistent shift from 'p' to 'f' across multiple words, what does this suggest?
Considering systematic phonological patterns, if a language family demonstrates a consistent shift from 'p' to 'f' across multiple words, what does this suggest?
If the English word 'algebra' shares a root with Arabic, this is an example of:
If the English word 'algebra' shares a root with Arabic, this is an example of:
If Proto-Indo-European was spoken approximately 5 to 6 thousand years ago, what conclusion can be drawn?
If Proto-Indo-European was spoken approximately 5 to 6 thousand years ago, what conclusion can be drawn?
How does the concept of a 'language family' differ from a 'language isolate'?
How does the concept of a 'language family' differ from a 'language isolate'?
How do linguists primarily investigate the characteristics of Proto-Indo-European (PIE)?
How do linguists primarily investigate the characteristics of Proto-Indo-European (PIE)?
What challenge do linguists face when attempting to reconstruct proto-languages?
What challenge do linguists face when attempting to reconstruct proto-languages?
A linguist discovers that two languages, spoken on different continents, share a large number of basic vocabulary words with similar sounds and meanings. What is the MOST likely explanation?
A linguist discovers that two languages, spoken on different continents, share a large number of basic vocabulary words with similar sounds and meanings. What is the MOST likely explanation?
In historical linguistics, what distinguishes a cognate from a borrowing?
In historical linguistics, what distinguishes a cognate from a borrowing?
Given that English and German share systematic phonological patterns, what broader linguistic categorization applies to both?
Given that English and German share systematic phonological patterns, what broader linguistic categorization applies to both?
The Kurgan Hypothesis proposes a specific geographical origin for Proto-Indo-Europeans. What does the Kurgan Hypothesis suggest?
The Kurgan Hypothesis proposes a specific geographical origin for Proto-Indo-Europeans. What does the Kurgan Hypothesis suggest?
If sound change is a regular process, what does this imply for comparative reconstruction?
If sound change is a regular process, what does this imply for comparative reconstruction?
Why is it essential to differentiate between lexical borrowing and shared inheritance when studying language relationships?
Why is it essential to differentiate between lexical borrowing and shared inheritance when studying language relationships?
Which statement accurately reflects the relationship between proto-languages and modern languages?
Which statement accurately reflects the relationship between proto-languages and modern languages?
While similarities in basic vocabulary can suggest a possible relationship between languages, what other factor strengthens this hypothesis?
While similarities in basic vocabulary can suggest a possible relationship between languages, what other factor strengthens this hypothesis?
Flashcards
Language Family
Language Family
A group of languages descended from a common ancestor language.
Comparative Analysis
Comparative Analysis
A method comparing vocabulary with similar meaning and phonological form to find relationships between languages.
Coincidence (in language)
Coincidence (in language)
Words in different languages that look or sound alike by chance, not due to shared ancestry.
Lexical Borrowing
Lexical Borrowing
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Systematic Phonological Patterns
Systematic Phonological Patterns
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Proto-Indo-European (PIE)
Proto-Indo-European (PIE)
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Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
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Study Notes
- HSR130 is an introduction to Language and Communication
Language Families
- These show how languages are related
- A language family is a group of related languages descended from a common ancestor language
- Establishing relationships between languages is achieved through comparative analysis
- There is a Proto-Indo-European Hypothesis
Establishing Relationships Between Languages
- Correspondences in vocabulary can be a sign of related languages
- Correspondences are words with the same meaning with a similar phonological form
- English, German, and Dutch share vocabulary correspondences
- Modern Indo-European languages such as French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese also show vocabulary correspondences
- Sometimes unrelated languages share similar-sounding words
Reasons for Similar-Sounding Words in Unrelated Languages
- Coincidence or chance can occur in unrelated languages
- Mbabaram, an Australian aboriginal language, has the word "dog" for "dog"
- The word "womina" means "woman" in Old Japanese
- Lexical borrowing occurs when one language borrows a word from another language
- “Kitap” in Turkish, is borrowed from Arabic
- “Duş” in Turkish is borrowed from French
- The Nahuan word, “chocolatl” has been borrowed by many languages
- English has borrowed 'algebra, alchemy, coffee' from Arabic
- Systematic phonological patterns across a range of words is another sign that two language are related
Proto-Indo-European Hypothesis
- Phonological patterns between English and German suggest that they descended from an earlier language
- Proto-Germanic is the hypothetical earlier language where "proto" means "coming before"
- Proto-Germanic is considered the "mother" to English and German languages
- Romanic languages like French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian also have the same argument and are considered ''sisters" to Latin
- Latin is the mother of these sister languages
Applying the Comparative Method
- Linguists concluded that modern languages spoken across Europe and North India descended from a common language
- This is why we know them as language families
- The common ancestor language became known as Proto-Indo-European, PIE
- PIE was spoken 5 to 6 thousand years ago where Europe and Asia meet
- Proto-Indo-European is considered extinct today and no documents exist
- Proto-Indo-European or PIE is the hypothetical common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, which is the most widely spoken language family
- PIE was spoken from approximately 4500 BC to 2500 BC during the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age
- According to the Kurgan Hypothesis, where Proto-Indo-Europeans originated from was Eastern Europe
- As Proto-Indo-Europeans migrated and became isolated, regional language dialects developed which transformed into the known ancient Indo-European languages
- Further linguistic divergence resulted in the evolution of modern Indo-European languages
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Description
HSR130 introduces language families and how languages are related. Establishing relationships between languages involves comparative analysis and vocabulary correspondences. The Proto-Indo-European Hypothesis exist, even though sometimes unrelated languages share similar-sounding words.
