Week 11 - Test Bank 2 PDF

**36. What is a key feature of pidgin languages?**\ a) They have complex grammar systems.\ b) They are native languages spoken from birth.\ c) They are simplified systems for communication between groups without a shared language.\ d) They rely solely on written scripts.\ e) They cannot evolve into...

**36. What is a key feature of pidgin languages?**\ a) They have complex grammar systems.\ b) They are native languages spoken from birth.\ c) They are simplified systems for communication between groups without a shared language.\ d) They rely solely on written scripts.\ e) They cannot evolve into creoles. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Pidgin languages are simplified communication systems developed between groups that do not share a common language. **37. How does Tok Pisin exemplify language evolution?**\ a) It remained a simplified pidgin without becoming a creole.\ b) It developed into a creole and became an official language of Papua New Guinea.\ c) It replaced all Indigenous languages in the region.\ d) It became the dominant language in global trade.\ e) It avoided borrowing words from other languages. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** Tok Pisin began as a pidgin for trade and evolved into a creole, becoming an official language of Papua New Guinea. **38. What process is demonstrated by Latin evolving into French, Spanish, and Italian?**\ a) Language borrowing\ b) Language revitalization\ c) Language evolution\ d) Creation of a pidgin\ e) Simplification of grammar **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** The evolution of Latin into Romance languages like French, Spanish, and Italian reflects the natural process of language change over time. **39. How does the digital age demonstrate rapid language change?**\ a) By eliminating all traditional forms of communication.\ b) By introducing new slang and communication forms like emojis.\ c) By preserving endangered languages through technology.\ d) By slowing down the development of new words.\ e) By making all languages grammatically uniform. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** The digital age introduces new forms of communication, such as slang and emojis, showcasing rapid language adaptation to technological advancements. **40. How do language categories influence worldview, according to linguistic relativity?**\ a) They determine how people think about all concepts.\ b) They create entirely uniform perspectives across cultures.\ c) They shape how people perceive and classify experiences.\ d) They eliminate the need for cultural diversity.\ e) They prevent individuals from forming abstract thoughts. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Linguistic relativity suggests that language categories influence how people perceive and classify their experiences, shaping their worldview. **41. What does Labov's observation of Macy's employees illustrate?**\ a) Lower-class speakers avoid formal speech entirely.\ b) Upper-class speech patterns are consistent across contexts.\ c) Middle-class speakers adjust their speech in formal settings to emulate upper-class norms.\ d) Pronunciation of /r/ has no connection to class dynamics.\ e) Hypercorrection is unrelated to linguistic insecurity. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Labov observed that middle-class speakers at Macy's hypercorrected their pronunciation of /r/ in formal contexts, reflecting linguistic insecurity and aspirations for upward mobility. **42. What was a key finding of Labov's department store study?**\ a) All social classes demonstrated the same pronunciation patterns.\ b) Lower-class speakers consistently pronounced /r/ in all contexts.\ c) Upper-class speakers used strong /r/ pronunciations in casual and formal contexts.\ d) Hypercorrection was absent in middle-class speakers.\ e) Weak /r/ pronunciation was most common among upper-class speakers. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Labov found that upper-class speakers consistently pronounced the /r/ sound, reinforcing its association with higher social status. **43. Which of the following best demonstrates the concept of a phoneme?**\ a) The prefix "un-" in "unhappy."\ b) The /t/ sound in "top" and "stop."\ c) The Subject-Verb-Object word order in English sentences.\ d) Combining words to form new sentences.\ e) Using gestures alongside spoken words. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language, such as /t/ in \"top\" and \"stop,\" where its pronunciation changes. **44. How does syntax differ from morphology?**\ a) Syntax focuses on sentence structure, while morphology studies word formation.\ b) Syntax studies sounds, while morphology examines grammar.\ c) Syntax applies only to written languages, while morphology applies to spoken languages.\ d) Syntax focuses on phonemes, while morphology examines semantics.\ e) Syntax is unique to oral traditions, while morphology is not. **Correct Answer:** a\ **Explanation:** Syntax involves the rules for sentence structure, whereas morphology examines how words are formed from morphemes. **45. Why is the Tahltan language significant for cultural knowledge?**\ a) It preserves unrelated ecological practices.\ b) It encodes traditional ecological knowledge about hunting and animal respect.\ c) It focuses on storytelling unrelated to the environment.\ d) It is used exclusively for ceremonial rituals.\ e) It replaces English for all speakers. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** The Tahltan language encodes vital ecological knowledge, such as hunting practices and respect for animal spirits, linking it to cultural heritage. **46. What revitalization technique has been effective for endangered languages like Māori?**\ a) Complete reliance on technology.\ b) Creation of simplified pidgin forms.\ c) Use of language nests and educational programs.\ d) Replacement by dominant global languages.\ e) Focus solely on ceremonial use. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Language nests and educational programs have effectively revitalized endangered languages, such as Māori, by teaching younger generations. **47. Which of the following is an example of colonialism's impact on language?**\ a) Creation of pidgin languages for trade.\ b) Loss of Native American languages due to forced assimilation.\ c) Adoption of global slang like "LOL."\ d) Development of creole languages from Indigenous traditions.\ e) Preservation of endangered languages through colonization. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** Colonialism led to the loss of Native American languages through policies of forced assimilation, erasing cultural and linguistic diversity. **48. How does globalization contribute to language endangerment?**\ a) By preserving Indigenous languages in educational systems.\ b) By creating opportunities for minority languages to thrive.\ c) By encouraging the dominance of world languages like English.\ d) By isolating communities from global culture.\ e) By integrating endangered languages into global communication. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Globalization accelerates language endangerment by promoting dominant world languages like English, reducing the use of minority languages. **49. Which feature makes the loss of Hokkaido Ainu particularly concerning?**\ a) It is unrelated to cultural practices.\ b) It has been fully documented for future generations.\ c) It has only 19 native speakers left due to historical discrimination.\ d) It was a dominant language before colonization.\ e) It has no connection to the community's identity. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Hokkaido Ainu has only 19 native speakers remaining, making its revitalization urgent to preserve the cultural heritage it encodes. **50. How does language borrowing differ from language evolution?**\ a) Borrowing integrates words from other languages, while evolution changes existing forms.\ b) Borrowing creates entirely new languages, while evolution eliminates old ones.\ c) Borrowing focuses on syntax, while evolution focuses on phonology.\ d) Borrowing applies only to written languages, while evolution applies to spoken languages.\ e) Borrowing replaces older languages entirely. **Correct Answer:** a\ **Explanation:** Language borrowing introduces terms from other languages, such as "karaoke" from Japanese, while evolution refers to broader structural changes over time. **51. What is an example of a pidgin evolving into a creole?**\ a) Latin evolving into French.\ b) English developing slang terms like "LOL."\ c) Tok Pisin becoming a creole in Papua New Guinea.\ d) Māori language nests preserving traditional syntax.\ e) Ndembu language adopting modern vocabulary. **Correct Answer:** c\ **Explanation:** Tok Pisin started as a pidgin language for trade and evolved into a creole spoken natively in Papua New Guinea. **52. What does the creation of creole languages demonstrate about linguistic adaptation?**\ a) Simplified languages cannot develop grammatical complexity.\ b) Language evolution involves blending linguistic and cultural influences.\ c) Creole languages rely exclusively on oral traditions.\ d) Borrowed words cannot form meaningful communication systems.\ e) Pidgin languages are inherently unstable. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** Creole languages reflect linguistic adaptation, blending influences from different languages and cultures into a fully developed system. **Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Additional Questions)** **53. How does linguistic determinism differ from linguistic relativity?**\ a) Determinism suggests language limits thought, while relativity suggests it influences thought.\ b) Determinism applies only to written languages, while relativity applies to spoken ones.\ c) Determinism emphasizes syntax, while relativity focuses on phonology.\ d) Determinism rejects cultural influences on language.\ e) Relativity eliminates the need for grammar. **Correct Answer:** a\ **Explanation:** Linguistic determinism argues that language limits thought, while linguistic relativity suggests that language influences, but does not determine, thought. **Phonology, Morphology, Syntax (Additional Questions)** **54. Which example illustrates the concept of morphemes in English?**\ a) The sound /k/ in "kite."\ b) The plural marker {-s} in "dogs."\ c) The Subject-Verb-Object structure in "She runs fast."\ d) Combining /b/ + /a/ + /t/ to form "bat."\ e) Using a gesture to accompany spoken words. **Correct Answer:** b\ **Explanation:** Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning, such as the plural marker {-s} in "dogs," which adds meaning to the base word. **55. Why is the /r/ sound significant in Labov's study of New York City?**\ a) It reflects social class distinctions in speech patterns.\ b) It is a universal feature of all languages.\ c) It demonstrates how language can evolve into a creole.\ d) It highlights linguistic borrowing from other cultures.\ e) It exclusively applies to written communication. **Correct Answer:** a\ **Explanation:** Labov's study demonstrated that the pronunciation of the /r/ sound varied by social class, reflecting linguistic stratification. **56. What does the ability of vervet monkeys to refine alarm calls through experience demonstrate?**\ a) Displacement in animal communication.\ b) The presence of symbolic abstraction.\ c) Complex syntax within animal call systems.\ d) Limited plasticity in communication.\ e) A feature of learned behavior in fixed call systems. **Correct Answer:** e\ **Explanation:** Vervet monkeys demonstrate that animal call systems, while fixed, have some learned plasticity, as young monkeys refine alarm calls over time. **57. What does the high-pitched scream of pygmy marmosets represent?**\ a) A symbolic response to fear.\ b) A displacement feature of communication.\ c) Reflexivity in animal language.\ d) An index sign directly linked to an emotional state.\ e) The beginning of symbolic abstraction in primates. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** The scream of pygmy marmosets is an index sign, directly reflecting their emotional state of fear without symbolic abstraction. **58. How do honeybee dances demonstrate displacement?**\ a) By using symbolic words to represent abstract ideas.\ b) By employing gestures for immediate survival needs.\ c) By creating new dances for each type of food source.\ d) By describing food sources located far from the hive.\ e) By symbolically referencing abstract locations. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Honeybee waggle dances demonstrate displacement by communicating information about distant food sources. **59. What distinguishes human language from animal communication systems?**\ a) The use of physical gestures to enhance meaning.\ b) The absence of fixed call systems.\ c) The reliance on learned behaviors over innate signals.\ d) Complex grammar and productivity.\ e) Symbolic abstraction in describing abstract ideas. **Correct Answer:** e\ **Explanation:** Human language is unique because it uses symbolic abstraction to describe abstract concepts, emotions, and hypothetical scenarios. **60. What feature of human language does duality of patterning describe?**\ a) The ability to discuss past and future events.\ b) The symbolic connection between sounds and meanings.\ c) The creation of entirely new grammatical systems.\ d) Combining phonemes into morphemes to create meaning.\ e) The ability to produce infinite sentences and ideas. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Duality of patterning refers to combining smaller units (phonemes) into larger, meaningful units (morphemes), enabling complex communication. **61. Which example best illustrates the concept of reflexivity in human language?**\ a) A vervet monkey adjusting its call for predators.\ b) A honeybee signaling food sources to the hive.\ c) A human describing the process of speaking.\ d) The statement, "This sentence is written in English."\ e) A linguist studying phonemes in various languages. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Reflexivity in language refers to the ability of language to describe itself, as in, "This sentence is written in English." **62. Which characteristic of endangered languages like Tahltan highlights their cultural importance?**\ a) Their unique syntax structures.\ b) Their ability to evolve into creole languages.\ c) Their use in ritual storytelling only.\ d) Encoding ecological knowledge and cultural values.\ e) Their limited role in modern education systems. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Endangered languages, such as Tahltan, encode crucial ecological knowledge and cultural values, which cannot be fully translated into dominant languages. **63. How does linguistic relativity apply to color classification?**\ a) It proves that color terms are universal across languages.\ b) It shows that all languages organize colors identically.\ c) It eliminates cultural differences in perception.\ d) Language influences how speakers perceive and classify colors.\ e) Language restricts speakers from identifying new color categories. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Linguistic relativity suggests that language influences perception, as seen in how different cultures classify and perceive colors. **64. What does rapid fading describe in the context of language?**\ a) The loss of endangered languages over time.\ b) The difficulty of translating oral traditions into written form.\ c) The evolution of pidgin languages into creoles.\ d) The ephemeral nature of spoken language unless recorded.\ e) The decline of grammatical structures in modern speech. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Rapid fading refers to the transient nature of spoken language, which disappears unless preserved through recording. **65. What is a key finding from Labov's department store study?**\ a) Upper-class speakers rarely use the /r/ sound.\ b) Pronunciation patterns are uniform across social classes.\ c) Middle-class speakers drop the /r/ sound in informal settings.\ d) Hypercorrection in middle-class speakers reflects linguistic insecurity.\ e) Lower-class speakers consistently use strong /r/ pronunciations. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Labov found that middle-class speakers often hypercorrected their /r/ pronunciation in formal settings, reflecting linguistic insecurity and aspirations for upward mobility. **66. What is one unique feature of creole languages compared to pidgins?**\ a) They are exclusively used for trade and commerce.\ b) They lack grammatical rules and syntax.\ c) They emerge from formalized writing systems.\ d) They are fully developed native languages with complex grammar.\ e) They cannot incorporate cultural influences. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** Creole languages develop from pidgins into fully native languages with complex grammatical structures and cultural depth. **67. How does the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis relate to the Hopi concept of time?**\ a) It demonstrates linguistic determinism through past-tense verbs.\ b) It refutes the idea that language affects worldview.\ c) It proves that time is universally perceived across cultures.\ d) It shows that language influences the Hopi emphasis on ongoing processes.\ e) It explains how tense distinctions are unnecessary for communication. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis suggests that the Hopi language's focus on ongoing processes influences how speakers perceive time. **68. Why is the Maisin language an important case of language loss?**\ a) It contributes to global trade through pidgin formation.\ b) It is preserved entirely through written texts.\ c) Its ecological knowledge cannot be replaced by other languages.\ d) It encodes sustainable practices for tapa-making materials.\ e) Its loss demonstrates the inevitability of globalization. **Correct Answer:** d\ **Explanation:** The Maisin language encodes vital ecological knowledge, such as sustainable tapa-making practices, making its preservation crucial for cultural and environmental continuity.