Danish & The Languages Of The World

When a mixed language develops a grammar and is acquired by children as their mother tongue, we call it a creole language. Creole languages typically emerge when communities with different native languages come into contact and need to communicate. These languages often incorporate elements from multiple languages, creating a unique linguistic system. The term "creol" is likely a typographical error and should be disregarded.

A language can be considered threatened when cross-generational transmitting of the language stops. This means that the language is no longer being passed down from one generation to the next, resulting in a decline in the number of speakers. When a language is not being learned by younger generations, it becomes at risk of extinction and is considered threatened.

Sanskrit was the missing link enabling linguists to reconstruct a family tree of most European languages. This caused great upheaval because it provided a breakthrough in understanding the origins and connections between different languages. It allowed European grammarians to trace the development and evolution of European languages back to a common ancestor, which was a significant advancement in linguistic studies. The discovery of Sanskrit as a key language in this process was a revelation and had a profound impact on the field of linguistics.

The correct answer is "the idea that our language defines the way we think." Linguistic relativity, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, suggests that the structure and vocabulary of a language influence and shape the thoughts and perceptions of its speakers. This means that the language we use affects our cognitive processes, including how we perceive and interpret the world around us.

The question asks about the first language spoken by mankind. The answer "Unknown" indicates that it is not possible to determine with certainty which language was spoken first by humans. The origins of human language are still a topic of debate and research among linguists and anthropologists. The answer acknowledges the lack of concrete evidence or consensus regarding the first language spoken by mankind.

This statement is not true because the claim that a language with only 3 basic color terms will always have red, blue, and yellow is not supported by linguistic evidence. Different languages categorize and name colors differently, and there is variation in the number and specific terms used for basic colors across languages. Therefore, it cannot be universally stated that all languages with 3 basic color terms will include red, blue, and yellow.

When borrowing elements from one language into another, it is most likely that vocabulary related to a specific subject matter, such as medical terminology, would be borrowed. This is because specialized vocabulary often fills gaps in the borrowing language's lexicon, allowing for more precise communication in that particular field. Basic vocabulary is usually already present in most languages and may not require borrowing. Typological features like word order and bound morphemes are structural aspects of a language and are less likely to be borrowed directly.

Noam Chomsky proposed the concept of a 'Universal Grammar' based on the observation that children learn language at a remarkably fast pace. He argued that this rapid language acquisition suggests the existence of an innate, specialized capability in children. According to Chomsky, this special capability allows children to grasp the complex rules and structures of any language, indicating that grammar must be inherent rather than solely learned through external factors.

The term "substratum" in connection with mixed languages refers to a language that serves as a structural basis for the mixed language. This means that the mixed language is primarily influenced by the grammatical and structural features of the substratum language. It may borrow vocabulary from other languages, but the substratum language provides the foundation for the mixed language's structure and grammar.

The correct description of this system in comparison to Danish is that the distinctive features are parallel sex and age (unlike in Danish), relative age for same-sex referents, and sex for cross-sex referents. This means that in the Watam-speaking system, individuals are referred to differently based on their sex and relative age, whereas in Danish, only referent sex is considered.

Two languages can be said to be related if they have many cognate forms. Cognate forms are words in different languages that have a common origin and similar meaning. When two languages have a significant number of cognates, it suggests that they share a common ancestor language and have evolved from it over time. Therefore, the presence of many cognate forms indicates a strong linguistic connection between the two languages, making them related.

Bound morphemes are least likely to be borrowed from one language into another. Bound morphemes are grammatical elements that cannot stand alone and are typically attached to a base word to modify its meaning or function. Since bound morphemes are highly language-specific and often have complex rules and patterns, they are less likely to be borrowed directly from one language to another. In contrast, vocabulary relating to specific subject matter, basic vocabulary, and typological features like word order can be more easily borrowed and adapted between languages.