16 Questions
How many living languages have been cataloged by one group of scholars?
7,097
Which of the following refers to the various ways in which human beings use their bodies to communicate?
Body language
In which country is raising the eyebrows considered to be indecent?
Japan
Which of the following is NOT true about sign languages?
Sign languages are only used by people who are deaf
According to Otto Jespersen, how many main theories about the beginnings of human language were there?
Four
According to the Bow-Wow theory, how did language start?
people imitating sounds, especially animal calls
According to Jespersen's La-La theory, what were the first sounds related to?
love, play, poetry, and song
What did researchers study to form ideas about the origins of language?
The parts of the body that make speech
What do cave drawings and the use of tools before the estimated time of speech development suggest?
Humans communicated using sign language before speech development
When did scientists estimate that humans developed speech?
Between 100,000 and 70,000 years ago
Which language is considered to be 'dead' but is actually still alive?
Latin is considered to be 'dead' but it is still alive and lives on in the Romance languages, including Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Romanian.
Facial expressions and gestures are universal across all cultures.
False
Monastic sign language is used by members of religious orders who have taken vows of silence.
True
Human language has a definitive origin that is known to scholars.
False
Pooh-Pooh theory suggests that humans first came up with language to express emotions.
True
Egyptian hieroglyphs are easily interpreted by modern scholars?
False
Test your knowledge on language diversity and the origins of human language with these intriguing questions. From the number of living languages cataloged to theories about the beginnings of language, this quiz covers a range of fascinating topics.
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