Exploring Culture: Language

Question 1

The Indo-European languages are believed to have originated __________. A. near the Fertile Crescent B. around the Alps C. on the Indian subcontinent D. around the Caucasus Mountains Please select the best answer from the choices provided.

Question 2

The best way to describe language divergence is as __________. A. the loss of a language because of lack of use B. the creation of new language out of two or more languages C. the loss of a two distinct languages when they blend into one D. the breakup of a language into dialects and distinct languages Please select the best answer from the choices provided.

Question 3

The Romance subfamily of the Indo-European language family includes __________. A. English, German, and Dutch B. Spanish, French, and Portuguese C. Russian, Polish, and Slovak D. Bengali, Hindi, and Panjabi Please select the best answer from the choices provided.

Question 4

Syntax refers to the __________. A. grammatical rules of a language B. rules about which regions a language can be used in C. rules for deriving meaning from a language D. linguistic structures common to several languages Please select the best answer from the choices provided.

Question 5

Explain how Quebecois French developed.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Quebecois French is spoken in the Canadian province of Quebec. This region originally was settled by French-speaking people. However, the area was isolated because people in surrounding regions spoke English, and the nearest French-speaking communities were across the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, Quebecois French diverged from Parisian (Standard) French and now uses an older vocabulary that is not used in modern France.

Question 6

What is an accent? A. different meanings for the same word B. a variation in the pronunciation of the same word C. a distortion in the pronunciation of the same word D. different words that have the same meaning Please select the best answer from the choices provided.

Question 7

The best way to describe language convergence is as __________. A. the loss of a language because of lack of use B. the creation of a new language out of two or more languages C. the loss of two distinct languages when they blend into one D. the breakup of a language into dialects and distinct languages Please select the best answer from the choices provided.

Question 8

Explain how the official language of South Africa changed between 1600 and 2009.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Tribal people who lived in the region before 1600 spoke hundreds of different languages. The Dutch first colonized South Africa and introduced their language. The British arrived in 1795, bringing English. Two official languages developed: English and Afrikaans, the latter of which is derived from Dutch, German, Malay, and other languages. These two languages were spoken by the white settlers who came to dominate the native population with a policy of racial separation known as apartheid. When this policy was ended in 1994, South Africa recognized eleven official languages.

Question 9

Compare and contrast the terms "accent" and "dialect."

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: Both accent and dialect represent variations in a language. Accent refers to variations in pronunciation, while dialect refers to variations in vocabulary, syntax, and cadence.

Question 10

Explain how Haitian Creole developed.

Revolt · Accepted Answer

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: French colonists mixed with African slaves in Haiti. A mixed language developed because masters needed to communicate with slaves. The new language combined elements of many other languages.

Exploring Culture: Language Answers

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