Childhood language acquisition is likely a combination of what two processes? (hint: both start with I!)
IMITATION and INSTINCT
100
What is a dialect?
BONUS: What is an accent?
A variety of a language spoken by a group of people that is systematically difference from other varieties of the language.
An accent is the differences of pronunciation (aka systematic phonological variation).
100
Hauteans saying they got "railroaded" when stuck behind a train is an example of which dialect process?
Coining
100
Why is English everywhere??????
short answer: IMPERIALISM
long answer: ALSO IMPERIALISM (or we could say colonization if we're being slightly less cynical)
100
"Sexting" is an example of what morphological phenomenon?
BLENDING. BONUS: Other words that are blends?
200
Summarize Noam Chomsky's theory of "universal grammar."
The ability to learn grammar is hard-wired into the brain.
200
What is mutual comprehensibility?
The primary criterion for distinguishing a dialect from a language. Speakers of two different dialects from the same language will understand each other (mutual comprehensibility); speakers of two different languages do not.
200
What dialect region does Indiana belong to?
Midland!
200
What's globalization the way most people use it? What do we know about the reality of it?
Technical answer is, "it's a small world after all." But tends to move more Western --> rest of world than an even trade.
200
When someone says /eastren/ instead of /eastern/ what phonological occurrence are we seeing?
METATHESIS (switching letters around)
300
What is parentese?
The special version of a language used by adults to speak to small children.
**BONUS: who else do we tend to speak "parentese" to?
300
What is overt prestige versus covert prestige?
BONUS: provide an example of each (not in your textbook)
Overt = widely recognized value of "standard" language variety
Covert = value of "nonstandard" language varieties within communities that can mark group identification
300
What is the name of the vowel shift occurring in northern cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland?
Northern Cities Vowel Shift (of course)
300
What is assimilation? Why might it be a dangerous or harmful idea?
Assimilation is the idea of fitting in/adopting all aspects of a dominant culture. This can reinforce ideas about what's the "better" culture.
300
Is language progressing or decaying?
of course it's neither
dang dang
400
What is the critical age hypothesis?
There is a "critical age" for children to learn a language with native fluency; past that age, learning a new language becomes increasingly difficult.
400
What is the difference between "change from above" or "change from below"?
The difference is whether or not the chance is happening above or below the level of consciousness. New Yorkers consciously adding the post-vocalic /r/ back to their speech = change from above. The Northern Cities Vowel Shift = change from below.
400
What does AAE stand for?
African American English
400
What is some proof or examples of English becoming the world's "global language"?
80% of feature films produced in 2002 were in English. 95% of top music groups in 1995 sang in English. 80% of the world's electronically stored information is in English. English is goshdarn EVERYWHERE.
400
Give an example of NON GRADABLE ANTONYMS
single/married, awake/asleep, dead/alive
500
How many words does the average eighteen-year-old high school graduate use on a regular basis?
60,000!
500
What is "code switching" and why is it so important?
Code-switching refers to speakers' alternating between two codes (either distinct language or dialects) within one stretch of discourse or conversation. Think about how we teach English to younger students.
500
Why do we find the Appalachian mountain dialect humorous or comical?
The clipped speech, the musicality of the sentences, the demographic of those who speak it (and what we associate with them)
500
BONUS THING WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IN CLASS: What's retronymy?
The creation of a new term because the existing term requires modification to be distinguished from a new development. Examples?
500
In your opinion, what is the biggest problem with the way English is taught in our schools today?