Danish & The Languages Of The World
A brief revision of our first classes
- 1.What is linguistic relativity?
- A.
The idea that all languages are linguistically related
- B.
The idea that our language defines the way we think
- C.
The idea that the way we think is independent of our language
- 2.If a language has only 3 basic colour terms, these are likely to be: red, blue and yellow. This statement is
- A.
A linguistic universal
- B.
Not true
- C.
A fact based on the neurophysiology of colour
- 3.In connection with mixed languages, the term SUBSTRATUM sometimes appears. This means
- A.
The language which results from language contact
- B.
A language from which vocabulary is taken
- C.
A language which serves as a structural basis for the mixed language
- 4.When a mixed language develops a grammar and is acquired by children as their mother tongue, we call it a _________ language
- 5.If I am a Watam-speaking boy, I call my sister and female cousin by the name mbi. I call my older brother yakai and my younger brother yap. If I am a Watam-speaking girl, I call my brother and male cousin by the name ondan. I call my older sister yakai and my younger sister yap. What is the correct description of this system in comparison to Danish?
- A.
The distinctive features of this system are referent sex (like in Danish) and relative age (unlike in Danish)
- B.
The distinctive features of this system are parallel sex and relative age (unlike in Danish). Referent sex is irrelevant.
- C.
The distinctive features are parallel sex and age (unlike in Danish), relative age for same-sex referents, and sex for cross-sex referents.
- D.
The distictive features of this system are referent sex and generation (like in Danish)
- 6.What was the first language spoken by mankind?
- A.
Hebrew
- B.
Sanskrit
- C.
Proto-Indo-European
- D.
Unknown
- 7.When Sanskrit was first studied by European grammarians, this caused great upheaval. Why?
- A.
Finally, the origins of language had been found.
- B.
Europeans were amazed to discover the Classic Indian texts.
- C.
Sanskrit was the missing link enabling linguists to reconstruct a family tree of most European languages.
- 8.Two languages can be said to be related if:
- A.
They have many words on the Swadesh list in common
- B.
They share typological features like word order, agglutination or vowel harmony
- C.
They have many cognate forms
- 9.Choose the feature MOST likely to be borrowed from one language into another
- A.
Vocabulary relating to a specific subject matter, like medical terminology
- B.
Basic vocabulary
- C.
Typological features like word order
- D.
Bound morphemes
- 10.Choose the feature LEAST likely to be borrowed from one language into another.
- A.
Vocabulary relating to specific subject matter, like medical vocabulary
- B.
Basic vocabulary
- C.
Typological features like word order
- D.
Bound morphemes
- 11.When can a language be considered to be threatened?
- A.
When its speakers begin to use English terms in their everyday language
- B.
When none of its speakers are monoligual
- C.
When cross-generational transmitting of the language stops
- 12.The concept of a 'Universal Grammar' was conceived by Noam Chomsky. His reasons for proposing the existence of the UG were:
- A.
That all languages are so alike that grammar must be innate
- B.
That children learn language so fast they must be born with a special capability
- C.
That the grammar of any language can easily be reduced to a few simple, universal rules
- D.
That only humans are able to speak, and so language must be related to the genetics of the human race.
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