The Story Of English
This quiz will train you knowledge of the book The Story of English. It contains various questions on the most important issues.
- 1.
Approximately how many catalogued words does the English language count today?
- A.
100,000
- B.
250,000
- C.
400,000
- D.
500,000
Correct Answer
D. 500,000Explanation
The English language today has approximately 500,000 catalogued words. This means that there are around half a million words that have been documented and included in dictionaries and other reference materials. These catalogued words include both commonly used words and more obscure or specialized vocabulary. The vast number of catalogued words reflects the richness and diversity of the English language, which has been influenced by various sources and continues to evolve over time.Rate this question:
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- 2.
The invasion by the Normans was in?
- A.
650
- B.
788
- C.
1066
- D.
1244
Correct Answer
C. 1066 -
- 3.
Fill in the gap.The Civilizing energies of the Anglo-Saxons received an enormous boost when ______________ brought its huge Latin vocabulary to England in the year AD 597.
Correct Answer
christianityExplanation
The arrival of Christianity in England in AD 597 greatly enhanced the civilizing influence of the Anglo-Saxons. Christianity brought with it a vast Latin vocabulary, which enriched the English language and contributed to its development. The teachings and values of Christianity also played a significant role in shaping the social, cultural, and moral fabric of Anglo-Saxon society, promoting education, literacy, and a more organized and structured way of life.Rate this question:
- 4.
After the Norman invasion of 1066, there were three main factors that helped English survive the period that followed.Three out of four answers below are true. Select the one that is not true.
- A.
Normans began to intermarry with those they had conquered.
- B.
The Anglo-Normans eventually lost their French territory across the Channel.
- C.
The Normans never conducted important institutes of society such as religion, law, science and literature in French.
- D.
The Old-English vernacular, both written and spoken, was simply too well established and too vigorous.
Correct Answer
C. The Normans never conducted important institutes of society such as religion, law, science and literature in French.Explanation
The Normans never conducted important institutes of society such as religion, law, science, and literature in French. This statement is not true because after the Norman invasion, the Normans did conduct important institutes of society in French. They introduced French as the language of the ruling elite and used it in areas such as law, administration, and literature. The Normans also brought their own religious practices, which were conducted in Latin, not French. Therefore, this statement is incorrect.Rate this question:
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- 5.
What was the most vital simplification when we went from Old-English to Middle-English?
- A.
The loss of Old English word endings, which were replaced by prepositions.
- B.
Under the influence of French, the sound that was written as 'y' was replaced by 'u'.
- C.
The triangle of Oxford, Cambridge and London was established. RP (received pronunciation) was born.
- D.
Words could now be used much more freely. That is, you were now allowed to use 'nouns' as 'verbs', which made the language easier for the common man.
Correct Answer
A. The loss of Old English word endings, which were replaced by prepositions.Explanation
The most vital simplification when transitioning from Old-English to Middle-English was the loss of Old English word endings. These word endings were replaced by prepositions, which made the language simpler and more accessible. This change allowed for a shift towards a more prepositional structure in the language, making it easier for speakers to convey meaning without relying on complex inflections.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Sir Walter Ralegh was:
- A.
A nobleman who, in name of the King, ordered 200 men to journey to India to settle there.
- B.
A nobleman who drowned in a storm with the famous last words 'We are as neer to heaven by sea as by land.'
- C.
A nobleman who chartered two ships to sail to the New World in 1584, and reached the shores of North Carolina on 13 July.
- D.
A nobleman who succesfully established the first permanent settlement on the shores of America.
Correct Answer
C. A nobleman who chartered two ships to sail to the New World in 1584, and reached the shores of North Carolina on 13 July. -
- 7.
Þū ūre fæder, þe eart on heofonum, sȳ þīn nama ʒehālʒod.Cume ðīn rīce.Sȳ ðīn wylla on eorðan swāswā on heofonum.Syle ūs tōdæʒ ūrne dæʒhwāmlican hlāf.And forʒyf ūs ūre ʒyltas swāswā wē forʒyfað ðāmþe wið ūs āʒyltað.And ne lǣd ðū nā ūs on costnunʒe, ac ālȳs ūs fram ȳfeleIs the text you see above Old-English or Middle-English?
- A.
Old-English
- B.
Middle-English
Correct Answer
A. Old-EnglishExplanation
The given text is Old-English. This can be determined by analyzing the language used in the text. Old-English was spoken in England from the 5th to the 11th century and is characterized by its use of the runic alphabet and its Germanic roots. The text exhibits several features of Old-English, such as the use of the þorn (þ) and eth (ð) characters, as well as the inflectional endings on words. Therefore, the text is written in Old-English.Rate this question:
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- 8.
'The charter of the French language in 1977, also known as Loi 101, was:
- A.
A law in Quebec, Canada, that says French is the language of the majority of the population and therefore the only official language.
- B.
A law that forbids English-speaking Canadians to move to the provence of Quebec, in order to prevent further deterioration of the French tongue.
- C.
A law in France that was enacted to abolish a number of loan words from English and to replace them with pure, French words, such as 'l'ordinateur' instead of 'personal computer'
Correct Answer
C. A law in France that was enacted to abolish a number of loan words from English and to replace them with pure, French words, such as 'l'ordinateur' instead of 'personal computer' -
- 9.
A simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a language in commonThe definition above refers to a specific phenomenon in the language. What is the general term for this?
Correct Answer
pidginization
pidginisation
broken English
pidgin EnglishExplanation
The general term for the phenomenon described in the definition is "pidginization" or "pidginisation". This refers to the development of a simplified language that arises as a means of communication between groups that do not share a common language. Another term that can be used to describe this phenomenon is "pidgin English", which refers specifically to a pidgin language that has developed based on English. "Broken English" is also a term that can be used to describe a simplified form of English used as a means of communication between non-native speakers.Rate this question:
- 10.
True or False1. To British ears, American English can sometimes sound like or have very striking characteristics of sixteenth- and early-seventeenth century English. 2. 'Brioche, jambalaya, and praline' are all examples of words that were introduced to (American) English under the influence of Spanish-speaking areas.
- A.
Both are true
- B.
Both are false
- C.
1. is true and 2. is false
- D.
1 is false and 2. is true.
Correct Answer
C. 1. is true and 2. is falseExplanation
American English can sometimes sound like or have very striking characteristics of sixteenth- and early-seventeenth century English, which is why statement 1 is true. However, 'Brioche, jambalaya, and praline' are not examples of words that were introduced to American English under the influence of Spanish-speaking areas, making statement 2 false. Therefore, the correct answer is that statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false.Rate this question:
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