Accounting
Anthropology
Archaeology
Art History
Banking
Biology & Life Science
Business
Business Communication
Business Development
Business Ethics
Business Law
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Science
Counseling
Criminal Law
Curriculum & Instruction
Design
Earth Science
Economic
Education
Engineering
Finance
History & Theory
Humanities
Human Resource
International Business
Investments & Securities
Journalism
Law
Management
Marketing
Medicine
Medicine & Health Science
Nursing
Philosophy
Physic
Psychology
Real Estate
Science
Social Science
Sociology
Special Education
Speech
Visual Arts
Anthropology
Q:
A protolanguage is a language that more closely corresponds to the deep structures in the brain.
True
False
Q:
Internal change tends to be more slow and predictable than external change in language.
True
False
Q:
A particular dialect generally becomes accepted as a 'standard' because:
a. it is genetically superior to others.
b. it changes more rapidly than others.
c. it is used by the socially "right" people.
d. it changes less slowly than others.
Q:
A situation in which individuals and communities maintain their bilingualism on a long-term basis is know as what?
a. stable bilingualism
b. transitional bilingualism
c. academic bilingualism
d. standardized bilingualism
Q:
When the Oakland School Board wanted to establish instruction in Ebonics, in addition to English, they cited research arguing that Ebonics was a:
a. creole, descended from ancestral African languages.
b. pidgin, developed in West Africa during slavery.
c. pig latin, used in the Comoro Islands by children.
d. dialect, with high prestige in Chicago and Oakland.
Q:
Research indicates that creoles
a. are created by elders who are skilled language users.
b. are developed by teachers applying dominant grammar to the pidgin.
c. may be related to the 10th century pidgin Sabir
d. demonstrate clearly the absence of anything like a Universal Grammar
Q:
A creole is a language which:
a. developed as a trade language.
b. developed from a pidgin.
c. has no grammar.
d. is native to no one.
Q:
A pidgin is a language which:
a. developed as a trade language.
b. developed from a creole.
c. has no grammar.
d. lasts many generations.
Q:
Although languages generally change very slowly, one example of rapid change in language is the development of:
a. dialects.
b. cognates.
c. protolanguages.
d. pidgins.
Q:
The difference between language and dialect has mostly to do with:
a. strict linguistic measures of mutual intelligibility.
b. the number of words that are shared.
c. social and political attitudes of the speakers.
d. how long ago two groups of speakers split apart.
Q:
Recent reconstruction of Proto-Bantu suggests that it was first spoken in:
a. the Comoro Islands.
b. Madagascar.
c. the Sahel.
d. the Cameroon region.
Q:
Recent reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European suggests that it was first spoken in:
a. on river islands in central Europe.
b. coastal areas where fishing was plentiful.
c. the savannah..
d. a temperate, forested climate.
Q:
Languages that cannot be classified into any existing language family are called what?
a. language loners
b. language isolates
c. language conundrums
d. language lexicons
Q:
In the 1950s, Morris Swadesh developed an approach to dating how long ago two languages split apart. This technique is called:
a. lexicography.
b. lexicogenetics.
c. glottochronology.
d. chronolinguistics.
Q:
A situation where two or more varieties of the same language are used by speakers in different kinds of settings is called what?
a. slang
b. diglossia
c. lexochronotology
d. bilingualism
Q:
A word related to another by descent from the same ancestral language is called a(n):
a. agnate.
b. cognate.
c. correlate.
d. calque
Q:
Cognates are:
a. words that can have more than one meaning depending on the individual.
b. words with exactly the same pronunciation and meaning in different languages.
c. words that are used by the elite members of a society to mark their status.
d. words related by descent from a common language.
Q:
Which of the following best defines the meaning of "genetically related" languages?
a. languages spoken by people who are genetically related
b. languages spoken by members of the same race
c. languages thought to have developed from a common ancestor language
d. languages belonging to the a single language community.
Q:
A good understanding of the mechanisms of language change allows you to:
a. see how biology determines language use.
b. understand the one-to-one connection between race and culture and language.
c. reconstruct ancestral languages from sets of daughter languages.
d. refute the Sapir/Whorf hypothesis.
Q:
Using more than one dialect (or language) in a single conversation is referred to as:
a. code switching.
b. portmanteau construction.
c. code talking.
d. dialectology.
Q:
The English-only laws that were passed in the early 1900s in Nebraska were primarily intended to suppress the use of which language?
a. Spanish
c. Omaha
c. Yiddish
d. German
Q:
The use of Mock Spanish in the children's book series about the character Skippy Jon Jones
a. cannot be racist, since it includes only positive images.
b. is a topic of discussion to which linguistic anthropology can contribute.
c. is of little interest to linguistic anthropologists, as it is not considered literature.
d. uses only correct Spanish words and grammar, and promotes true bilingualism.
Q:
The word ___________ is an example of both a coined word and a word which has experienced meaning shift.
a. bogus
b. butterpillar
c. spam
d. uptight
Q:
The splitting of the word hamburger into the morphemes ham and burger after it was borrowed from German into English is an example of which of the following?
a. diglossia
b. voicing
c. language degeneration
d. reanalysis
Q:
An example of change in response to contact and borrowing between language is:
a. the development of such English words as "terrific" and "blog."
b. the misanalysis in English of "I'm all shook up" as "emulsha cup."
c. the use of the French [Ê’] sound in English words like "rouge."
d. the regularization of the English plural "fish" to "fishes."
Q:
Which of the following are most easily borrowed between languages?
a. words
b. sounds
c. grammatical forms
d. phonemes
Q:
The gradual loss in English of the "ly ending on adverbs such as quickly and slowly are examples of which of the following kinds of language change?
a. internal change
b. external change
c. language degradation
d. reanalysis
Q:
The borrowing of words such as rouge and garage from French into English are examples of which of the following kinds of language change?
a. internal change
b. external change
c. language degradation
d. language stasis
Q:
The fact that many of our linguistic choices are unconsciously made
a. does not mean that they are not based on language ideology.
b. is a clear indication that ideology does not play an important role in language choice.
c. illustrates the absence of economic considerations in language choice.
d. indicates that we do not make conscious efforts to change our language .
Q:
A theory that children's brains function as language acquisition devices, comparing specific languages with a genetically built-in "core grammar" to help children acquire specific languages rapidly, is what kind of theory?
a. innatist theory
b. behaviorist theory
c. cognitivist theory
d. active construction of a grammar (or theory) theory
Q:
A theory that as children develop their intellectual abilities, their linguistic abilities follow suit, is what kind of theory?
a. innatist theory
b. behaviorist theory
c. cognitivist theory
d. active construction of a grammar (or theory) theory
Q:
Regarding ideas about language in children, the "active construction of a grammar (or theory) theory" argues that:a. as children develop their linguistic abilities, their intellectual abilities follow suit.b. as children develop their intellectual abilities, their linguistic abilities follow suit.c. children need to hear language from others around them (stimulus) and to receive praise (positive feedback) from parents and/or caretakers in order to develop their linguistic abilities.d. children observe and interact with the world around them and form theories about their experiences.
Q:
A theory that language is the result of a complex set of theories that children create about the linguistic stimuli they are exposed to is what kind of theory?
a. innatist theory
b. behaviorist theory
c. cognitivist theory
d. active construction of a grammar theory (or theory theory)
Q:
Although the capacity for speech appears to be part of the human genetic makeup, most linguistic anthropologists now believe that children learn languages:
a. primarily in social and cultural settings.
b. primarily from listening to folktales.
c. primarily in school.
d. only by playing with other children.
Q:
The design feature of language that allows you to produce and comprehend entirely new utterances that you"ve never spoken or hear before is which of the following?
a. discreteness
b. displacement
c. productivity
d. duality of patterning
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that you can talk about things that are not present is which of the following?
a. discreteness
b. displacement
c. productivity
d. duality of patterning
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that discrete units of language at one level (such as sounds) can be combined to create different kinds of units at a different level (such as words) is which of the following?
a. discreteness
b. displacement
c. productivity
d. duality of patterning
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that the units used for communication can be separated into distinct units that cannot be mistaken for one other is which of the following?
a. discreteness
b. displacement
c. productivity
d. broadcast transmission and directional reception
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that language signals don"t last very long is:
a. specialization.
b. semanticity.
c. arbitrariness.
d. rapid fading.
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that there is no necessary or causal connection between a signal and its meaning is:
a. specialization.
b. semanticity.
c. arbitrariness.
d. rapid fading.
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that specific sound signals can be directly linked to specific meanings is:
a. specialization.
b. semanticity.
c. arbitrariness.
d. rapid fading.
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that a speaker can repeat anything that any other human says is:
a. vocal auditory channel.
b. broadcast transmission and directional reception.
c. interchangeability.
d. total feedback.
Q:
The design feature of language that refers specifically to the use of speaking and hearing as a key feature of language is:
a. vocal auditory channel.
b. interchangeability.
c. total feedback.
d. duality of patterning.
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that speakers can hear themselves talk and that they can monitor what they say as they say it is referred to as:
a. vocal auditory channel.
b. broadcast transmission and directional reception.
c. interchangeability.
d. total feedback.
Q:
The design feature of language that refers to the fact that the sounds of human language are sent out in all directions, but that listeners perceive those sounds as coming from a specific direction is referred to as:
a. vocal auditory channel.
b. broadcast transmission and directional reception.
c. interchangeability.
d. total feedback.
Q:
Signing is controlled in a different area of the brain than spoken language.
True
False
Q:
Language areas of the brain appear to develop in response to the presence of linguistic signals.
True
False
Q:
Three important characteristics of the human body that make speech possible are a lower larynx, a longer pharynx, and a more flexible tongue.
True
False
Q:
Ottenheimer's research with Shintiri suggested to her that the evolutionary shift from blended calls to duality of patterning may have occurred in the context of children's language play.
True
False
Q:
Children's language games such as Pig Latin or Shintiri are valuable tools in teaching children to turn their language into an object of analysis.
True
False
Q:
Traditional transmission is a design feature of language that has only been observed in humans.
True
False
Q:
Broca's area, an area of the frontal region of the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain, and Wernicke's area, an area in the temporal lobe of the left hemisphere of the brain, appear to be to key areas of the brain in which language is processed.
True
False
Q:
While research into brain functioning suggests that language might have been possible as early as 2 million years ago, fully modern speech may not have been possible until 100,000 years ago, in Homo sapiens, due to the importance of lowered larynx positioning.
True
False
Q:
The first evidence of the evolution of Broca's and Wernike's areas of the brain was found in the fossil remains of:
a. archaic Homo sapiens, 8,000 to 12,000 years ago.
b. Australopithicenes, 1.26 to 1.8 million years ago.
c. Neanderthals, 100,000 to 150,000 years ago.
d. Homo habilis, 1.8 to 2 million years ago.
Q:
Which of the following is considered to be the most likely order of steps along the road to the evolution of full-fledged human language?
a. from blended calls through closed calls to duality of patterning
b. from duality of patterning through blended calls to closed calls
c. from closed calls through duality of patterning to blended calls
d. from closed calls through blended calls to duality of patterning
Q:
The design feature "duality of patterning" refers to the human capacity to:
a. connect a large set of sounds to a small object (i.e. microorganism) and a small set of sounds to a large object (i.e. whale).
b. create ambiguous sentences with dual meanings based on syntactic patterns.
c. say one thing while intending to say another, indicating the second meaning with tone of voice.
d. create nearly infinite combinations of finite sets of language units.
Q:
Recent research into brain evolution and development indicates that:a. brain neurons "learn" and become specialized as they develop.b. brain neurons become fully formed three months after birth.c. Broca's and Wernicke's areas do not develop until adolescence.d. Broca's and Wernicke's areas are less relevant for human language than previously thought.
Q:
Which of the following physical characteristics is/are thought to be necessary for spoken human language?
a. incisors
b. enlarged nasal passages
c. enlarged tongue
d. lowered larynx
Q:
Linguistic anthropologist Robbins Burling argues that some of the earliest instances of language use might have been:
a. generating calls, rather than comprehending them.
b. comprehending calls, rather than generating them.
c. closing calls, rather than opening them.
d. inventing folktales and tall tales.
Q:
Recent sign language research in Nicaragua appears to bolster which of the following theories about language acquisition?
a. behaviorist theory
b. cognitivist theory
c. innatist theory
d. active construction of a grammar (or theory) theory
Q:
When English-speaking children produce "incorrect" forms such as "sheeps," "gooses," and "taked," they are:
a. discovering and using grammatical regularities in their language.
b. reflecting universal grammatical patterns.
c. reflecting ancient forms of language.
d. holding out for rewards.
Q:
A theory that children need to hear language from others around them (stimulus) and to receive praise (positive feedback) from parents and/or caretakers in order to develop their linguistic abilities is what kind of theory?
a. innatist theory
b. behaviorist theory
c. cognitivist theory
d. active construction of a grammar (or theory) theory
Q:
The Mayan writing system was wholly logographic, representing only numbers, dates, and place-names.
True
False
Q:
In the European Middle Ages, it was thought appropriate for the nobility to be illiterate.
True
False
Q:
The expectations that people in power have about literacy and its consequences can affect other peoples' access to status and power.
True
False
Q:
According to the autonomous theory of literacy, it is through mastering the technology of literacy that one develops skepticism, abstractness, and critical thinking skills.
True
False
Q:
Languages that developed and evolved without writing systems, such as Bantu languages, do not have abstract nouns.
True
False
Q:
Written words are, by nature, permanent; spoken words (and oral histories) are, by nature, impermanent.
True
False
Q:
Some early resistance among Mayanist archaeologists to the idea that the Mayan glyphs represented a real writing system might be explained by a widely-held belief that groups of people without writing are "uncivilized" in some way.
True
False
Q:
Dictionaries always list lexemes in terms of phonetic graphemes.
True
False
Q:
When there are multiple dialects in a region, establishing a standardized writing system ends up legitimizing one of those dialects at the expense of the others.
True
False
Q:
Attempts at standardizing spelling often get tangled up in attempts to standardize pronunciation.
True
False
Q:
No writing system is a perfect representation of speech.
True
False
Q:
Whether or not a group of people "has" writing is always clear-cut and undisputed.
True
False
Q:
The characters used in L337 speak are all semantic characters.
True
False
Q:
The choice of writing system often has political implications.
True
False
Q:
Efforts to standardize the spelling of a language
a. are apolitical, and generally only of interest to linguists.
b. reveal the language ideology of the standardizers.
c. inevitably result in improvements appreciated by all users of the language.
d. are completely separate from standardization of pronunciation
Q:
Linguistic anthropologist Shirley Brice Heath, in her study of literacy events in a small city US southeast, discovered
a. no significant difference in reading and writing between the communities studied.
b. clear evidence that most parents in some communities were functionally illiterate.
c. different communities approach reading in very different ways.
d. learning to read and write gave students a very different perspective on language.
Q:
According to linguistic anthropologist Bambi Schieffelin, the introduction of a missionary-developed writing system to the Kaluli of New Guinea has resulted in a shift in:
a. fishing techniques.
b. gardening techniques.
c. approaches to maintaining good health.
d. communicative practices and social stratification.
Q:
The Mayan writing system was:
a. logographic.
b. syllabic.
c. logosyllabic.
d. a combination of logographic, syllabic, and logosyllabic strategies.