Language Classifications
Key Terms
Diffusion of Major Languages
Dialects
Language Extinction
100
English is part of which branch in the Indo-European family? a. Balto-Slavic b. Celtic c. Indo-Iranian d. Germanic
d. Germanic
100
What is the system of writing used in china and other east asian countries in which each symbol represents an idea or concept rather than a sound, as is the case for english? a. ideograms b. isogloss c. ebonics d. franglais
a. ideograms
100
What treaty ensured that Spanish and Portuguese would be diffused to the western portion of the New World? a. Treaty of Tordesillas b. Treaty of Lisbon c. Treaty of Rome d. Treaty of Madrid
a. Treaty of Tordesillas
100
In what significant ways does U.S. English differ from that of England? a. Spelling b. Pronouncation c. Vocabulary d. All of the above
d. All of the above
100
What is the main reason that minority languages go extinct? a. Speakers abandon languages when surrounded by other languages. b. Speakers die in fires. c. Genocide and Ethnic cleansing d. Speakers are conquered and forced to learn the language of the conqueror.
a. Speakers abandon languages when surrounded by other languages.
200
Which are the first and second most-spoken languages in the world? a. Spanish, English b. Mandarin, English c. Cantonese, French d. German, Mandarin
b. Mandarin, English
200
What is a language that is written as well as spoken? a. vulgar latin b. literary tradition c. lingua franca d. language branch
b. literary tradition
200
How did English primarily diffuse to other countries? a. The British colonized the other countries. b. English was already there. c. English was seen as a language to be learnt. d. People were killed if they did not take up the language.
a. The British colonized the other countries.
200
What is a dialect spoken by some African Americans. a. Drawl b. Ideograms c. Ebonics d. Isogloss
c. Ebonics
200
What do all extinction have in common? a. They are in LDCs. b. They are areas that were successfully colonized. c. They are all in heavily urbanized areas. d. They are in areas of recent conflict.
b. They are areas that were successfully colonized.
300
Lingua france languages include: a. Hindustani b. Russian c. Swahili d. All of the aboce
c. Swahili
300
What is a collection of languages related through a common ancestor that existed several thousand years ago. differences are not as extensive or as old as with language families, and archaeological evidence can confirm that the branches derived from the same family? a. lingua franca, b. language branch c. language group d. language family
c. language group
300
What is the theory that early Proto-Indo-European speakers diffused Indo-European languages through war? a. Anatolian Hearth Theory b. Kurgan Hearth Theory c. Conquest Theory d. The Theory of Modern Language Diffusion
b. Kurgan Hearth Theory
300
What is a regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation? a. Ebonics b. Dialect c. Accent d. Spanglish
b. Dialect
300
What is NOT an argument for working to preserve local languages? a. Many have not been written down or otherwise recorded. b. Many mythological belief systems are preserved only in language. c. Minority languages are part of globalization. d. Minority languages contain natural, local knowledge.
c. Minority languages are part of globalization.
400
About how many people speak a language that is in the Indo-European family?
50%
400
What is a language mutually understood and commonly used in trade ?
Lingua Franca
400
Where did the Anotolian Theory believes Indo-European languages orginated where? a. Greece b. Turkey c. Saudi Arabia d. Rome
b. Turkey
400
Why does the vocabulary of U.S. English and British English differ? a. Different ethnicities b. Differences in animals and objects (e.g. squash) c. Same inventions made in different places d. Both b and c
d. Both b and c
400
According to the article, what is the best method of ensuring the survival of a language? a. Prevent other languages from moving into an area. b. Writing the language down. c. Making sure that children want to learn the language. d. Forcing people to learn the language
b. Writing the language down.
500
Which is the largest language group in the world?
Sino-Tibetan
500
A boundary that seperates regions in which different language usage predominates is what? a. Isolated lanaguge b. Dialects c. Both a and b d. Isogloss
d. Isogloss
500
How did Romance languages diffuse? a. Roman conquest spread Latin and created variations based on the native language that was present. b. Romantic people spread it around. c. The Romans spread the language through the sharing of food. d. None of the above
a. Roman conquest spread Latin and created variations based on the native language that was present.
500
If you live in America and a person says "y'all" what would that tell you? a. They are from Austrailia. b. They have a different dialect. c. They have an accent. d. None of the above
c. They have an accent.
500
Which of the following is not an extinction hotspot? a. Bolivia, South America b. The Outback, Austrailia c. Native American Reservations, The United States d. Kenya, East Africa
d. Kenya, East Africa
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