Deck 5: Languages

Question 1

The maps in this chapter show that the second most widely spoken language family in Europe is

A) Balto-Slavic.
B) Indo-European.
C) Romance.
D) Uralic.
E) Celtic.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The first speakers of the language that evolved into English were tribes that lived in present-day

A) France.
B) Denmark.
C) United States.
D) Italy.
E) Switzerland.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The main difference between languages in the same family, branch, or group is how

A) recently in time the languages were once the same.
B) closely the speakers of each language live to one other.
C) they correspond to the diffusion of free markets across much of the world.
D) similar the cultures of the speakers of each language are.
E) they all emerged at the same point in history, according to the Bible.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A group of languages that share a common origin but have since evolved into individual languages is a

A) dialect.
B) language branch.
C) language family.
D) language group.
E) language root.

Question 5

A lingua franca is

A) an English word that has entered the French language.
B) a language understood by people who have different native languages.
C) an extinct language that has been revived.
D) an official language in a region of the world different from where the language originated.
E) a language used by French colonial administrations.

Question 6

The charts or diagrams in this chapter indicate that the percentage of Austronesian language speakers in the world is greater than the percentage speaking ________ languages.

A) Sino-Tibetan
B) Dravidian
C) Indo-European
D) Niger-Congo
E) Afro-Asiatic

Question 7

A group of languages that share a common ancestor before recorded history is a

A) dialect.
B) language branch.
C) language family.
D) language group.
E) language root.

Question 8

The language spoken by soldiers stationed throughout the Roman Empire was known as

A) Official Latin.
B) Romance language.
C) standard language.
D) Vulgar Latin.
E) Catalan Latin.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a Romance language?

A) Bulgarian
B) Italian
C) Portuguese
D) Romanian
E) French

Question 10

The diagrams in this chapter show that the percentage of Sino-Tibetan speakers in the world is less than the percentage speaking ________ languages.

A) Austronesian
B) Indo-European
C) Dravidian
D) Altaic
E) Niger-Congo

Question 11

The language family encompassing the languages of the People's Republic of China is

A) Indo-European.
B) Indo-Iranian.
C) Mandarin.
D) Sino-Tibetan.
E) Austro-Asiatic.

Question 12

Franglais is

A) the lingua franca of France.
B) a dialect of French.
C) the standard language of French.
D) the use of English in the French language.
E) a language used by French colonial administrations.

Question 13

The two largest language families in the world are

A) Indo-Iranian and Balto-Slavic.
B) Sino-Tibetan and Indo-European.
C) Afro-Asiatic and Sino-Tibetan.
D) Balto-Slavic and Sino-Tibetan.
E) Altaic and Nilo-Saharan.

Question 14

The most widely spoken language in Brazil is

A) Creole.
B) French.
C) Portuguese.
D) Spanish.
E) Catalan.

Question 15

The charts or diagrams in this chapter indicate that the percentage of Altaic language speakers in the world is greater than the percentage speaking ________ languages.

A) Sino-Tibetan
B) Austro-Asiatic
C) Indo-European
D) Niger Congo
E) Austronesian

Question 16

Both the Angles and the Normans contributed to the development of the English language, because they

A) spoke ancient English languages.
B) invaded England.
C) spoke languages derived from Latin.
D) diffused English around the world.
E) agreed to divide Ireland from England.

Question 17

Dialects developed within England primarily because

A) different Germanic invaders settled in different regions.
B) the Normans invaded from the south.
C) the Viking invaders did not remain long in England.
D) British Received Pronunciation became the standard dialect.
E) commerce developed more slowly in England than on the European continent.

Question 18

Basque is a good example of a(n)

A) language family.
B) globalizing language.
C) language group.
D) lingua franca.
E) isolated language.

Question 19

When languages are depicted as leaves on trees, the trunks of the trees represent

A) dialects.
B) language groups.
C) language families.
D) possible prehistoric superfamilies.
E) language sects.

Question 20

The geographic study of the distribution of languages provides a good example of

A) the interplay between globalization and local diversity.
B) the diffusion of folk culture in different areas of the world.
C) the role and spread of religion across much of the world.
D) the diffusion of free markets across much of the world.
E) political conflicts that arise due to ethnic tensions.

Question 21

The Kurgans

A) conquered much of East Asia several thousand years ago.
B) were a Germanic tribe that invaded England.
C) were herders from the steppes of Central Asia.
D) preserved Basque in present-day Spain.
E) were the earliest speakers of Sino-Caucasian, which they diffused through conquest.

Question 22

Which group of the Germanic family is extinct?

A) West Germanic
B) North Germanic
C) East Germanic
D) South Germanic
E) Uber Germanic

Question 23

The two most important languages in South America are

A) Dutch and English.
B) English and Spanish.
C) French and Spanish.
D) Portuguese and Spanish.
E) Creole and Portuguese.

Question 24

According to the maps and diagrams in this chapter, England was invaded by tribes from

A) English-speaking areas
B) Uric-speaking areas
C) Native American-speaking areas
D) Italian-speaking areas
E) Germanic-speaking areas

Question 25

Analyzing the maps and diagrams in this chapter, we can see that the branch of Indo-European that includes Ukrainian is

A) European.
B) Balto-Slavic.
C) Indo-Iranian.
D) Romance.
E) Germanic.

Question 26

According to the maps and diagrams in this chapter, the branch of Indo-European that includes Rangpuri is

A) European.
B) Indo-Iranian.
C) Romance.
D) Balto-Slavic.
E) Germanic.

Question 27

English is part of which language branch?

A) Germanic
B) Northern
C) Western
D) Indo-European
E) Austronesian

Question 28

According to the diagrams in this chapter, Turkmen is part of what language branch?

A) Altaic
B) Germanic
C) Indo-Iranian
D) Romance
E) Balto-Slavic

Question 29

According to the maps and diagrams in this chapter, the branch of Indo-European that includes Romanian is

A) European.
B) Romance.
C) Indo-Iranian.
D) Balto-Slavic.
E) Germanic.

Question 30

According to the maps and diagrams in this chapter, the Germanic invaders of England included which groups or tribes?

A) Germans, Normans, and Danes
B) Brittans, Normans, and Welsh
C) Irish, Welsh, and English
D) Scots, Irish, and Welsh
E) Angles, Jutes, and Saxons

Question 31

Analysis of the maps and diagrams in this chapter shows that the Dutch language is from the branch of Indo-European known as

A) European.
B) Germanic.
C) Romance.
D) Balto-Slavic.
E) Indo-Iranian.

Question 32

Colin Renfrew's research constitutes much of the ________ Hypothesis.

A) Nomadic Herder
B) Kurgan Farmer
C) Nomadic Warrior
D) Sedentary Farmer
E) Silk Road Trader

Question 33

The four most frequently spoken branches of Indo-European include all but

A) Balto-Slavic.
B) Celtic.
C) Indo-Iranian.
D) Romance.
E) Germanic.

Question 34

The most widely spoken language in Argentina is

A) Creole.
B) French.
C) Spanish.
D) Portuguese.
E) Catalan.

Question 35

Analysis of the maps and diagrams in this chapter shows that the branch of Indo-European that includes Kurdish is

A) European.
B) Indo-Iranian.
C) Romance.
D) Balto-Slavic.
E) Germanic.

Question 36

According to the maps and diagrams in this chapter, the branch of Indo-European that includes Haitian Creole is

A) European.
B) Romance.
C) Indo-Iranian.
D) Balto-Slavic.
E) Germanic.

Question 37

English is part of which language family?

A) Germanic
B) North Germanic
C) West Germanic
D) Indo-European
E) Romance

Question 38

According to Colin Renfrew's research, Indo-European languages diffused across Europe

A) entirely by sea.
B) by way of the Kurgan homeland.
C) with the conquests of warriors on horseback.
D) with the diffusion of agriculture.
E) following the traders on the silk road.

Question 39

Russian is part of what language branch?

A) Balto-Slavic
B) Germanic
C) Indo-Iranian
D) Romance
E) Altaic

Question 40

According to the maps and diagrams in this chapter, the branch of Indo-European that includes Slovak is

A) European.
B) Balto-Slavic.
C) Indo-Iranian.
D) Romance.
E) Germanic.

Question 41

An analysis of the maps and diagrams in this chapter shows that every European country is dominated by Indo-European speakers except

A) Spain, Italy, and Portugal.
B) Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.
C) Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
D) Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
E) Finland, Hungary, and Estonia.

Question 42

The most important language family in Sub-Saharan Africa is

A) Khoisan.
B) Niger-Congo.
C) Nilo-Saharan.
D) Afro-Asiatic.
E) Altaic.

Question 43

A form of a language spoken in a local area is a

A) dialect.
B) branch.
C) family.
D) group.
E) root.

Question 44

Marija Gimbutas' theory points to the first speakers of the Indo-European language as the ancient

A) Celts.
B) Germans.
C) Kurgans.
D) Russians.
E) Dravidians.

Question 45

Marija Gimbutas has contributed to the ________ Hypothesis.

A) Sedentary Archer
B) Nomadic Fisher
C) Nomadic Warrior
D) Sedentary Farmer
E) Sedentary Farmer-Warrior

Question 46

An analysis of the map of U.S. soft drink terminology shows that the word "Coke" is more common in

A) Illinois.
B) Mississippi.
C) New York.
D) Oregon.
E) California.

Question 47

English is part of which language group?

A) East Germanic
B) North Germanic
C) West Germanic
D) Indo-European
E) Semitic

Question 48

The second-largest language family is

A) Indo-European.
B) Sino-Tibetan.
C) Afro-Asiatic.
D) Austronesian.
E) Dravidian.

Question 49

Immigrants to which American colonies had the most diverse backgrounds in the 1700s and 1800s?

A) Middle Atlantic
B) New England
C) Northern
D) Southeast
E) French Canadian

Question 50

The Flemings and Walloons speak languages belonging to different

A) dialects.
B) language branches.
C) language families.
D) language groups.
E) language sects.

Question 51

The maps and diagrams in this chapter show that an Indo-European language is chiefly spoken in which of these countries?

A) Bulgaria
B) Finland
C) Hungary
D) Estonia
E) China

Question 52

An analysis of the maps and diagrams in this chapter shows that Indo-European speakers dominate

A) Estonia
B) Madagascar
C) Malaysia
D) Finland
E) Sweden

Question 53

When languages are depicted as leaves on trees, the roots of the trees below the surface represent

A) dialects.
B) language groups.
C) language sects.
D) language families.
E) possible prehistoric superfamilies.

Question 54

British and American English differ in all but which of the following?

A) alphabet
B) pronunciation
C) spelling
D) vocabulary
E) prevalent dialects

Question 55

The survival of any language relies on

A) rapid migration into other areas.
B) the efficient "corrections" of the global free market.
C) the political and military strength of its speakers.
D) the spread of its speakers' material culture.
E) the homogenization of its dialects.

Question 56

An analysis of the map of U.S. soft drink terminology shows that the word "pop" is more common in

A) California.
B) Oregon.
C) Mississippi.
D) Florida.
E) New Mexico.

Question 57

A literary tradition is

A) a form of a language intended to be printed in official government documents.
B) a language spoken in an area.
C) a collection of languages related to one other.
D) the written form of a language.
E) the variety of dialects in a language used in obscure examples of poetry.

Question 58

An isogloss is

A) a form of a language spoken in a local area.
B) a collection of unique words.
C) a boundary between language regions.
D) a blending of two language families.
E) a line that separates literary traditions.

Question 59

Gumbo and jazz are terms that originated in the English dialects of

A) New Englanders.
B) African Americans.
C) Jewish immigrants to the United States.
D) Irish Americans.
E) French Americans.

Question 60

In the following answer choices, the best example of a literary tradition is

A) the diffusion of television and radio broadcasts.
B) the religious rituals and traditions of ancient European civilizations.
C) the oral traditions of Australia's Aborigines that were passed down from generation to generation without the aid of writing.
D) the historical documents and religious texts of the ancient Maya that were partly destroyed by Spanish conquerors.
E) the variety of dialects in a language used in obscure examples of spoken poetry.

Question 61

Basque is spoken primarily in

A) Brittany.
B) the Swiss Alps.
C) the Pyrenees Mountains.
D) Barcelona, Spain.
E) Liechtenstein.

Question 62

All of the following describe the English language except

A) It is a lingua franca.
B) Its recent growth is due to expansion diffusion.
C) It is an Indo-European language.
D) It has diffused along with economic globalization.
E) It is an isogloss.

Question 63

A creolized language is

A) extinct.
B) a mix of indigenous and colonial languages.
C) an isolated language family.
D) a possible prehistoric superfamily.
E) a revived formerly extinct language.

Question 64

Spanish is an important language in the United States primarily because of

A) the diffusion of Spanish colonies and subsequent migration patterns.
B) the Mexican conquest of the U.S. Southwest in the 1800s.
C) the global dominance of the United States.
D) the diffusion of Mexican colonies into the northern territories.
E) official U.S. policies proclaiming Spanish a national language, along with English.

Question 65

Chinese is traditionally written in the form of

A) a literary tradition.
B) a Latin alphabet.
C) ideograms.
D) Cantonese.
E) phonemes.

Question 66

Celtic languages

A) were threatened by extinction in England.
B) are still spoken by people in France.
C) have been revived in some parts of the British Isles.
D) have an extensive body of literature.
E) all of the above

Question 67

The English language is a "second" or "third" language in many regions where it is used as a(n)

A) colonial dialect.
B) expansion diffusion.
C) Indo-European import.
D) global lingua.
E) lingua franca.

Question 68

The language maps in this chapter show that Urdu is one of the most important languages of

A) Bangladesh.
B) Iran.
C) Pakistan.
D) Sri Lanka.

Question 69

Hebrew is an example of

A) an isolated language.
B) an extinct language.
C) a revived language.
D) a language family.
E) an Altaic language.

Question 70

The Flemings and Walloons live in

A) Belgium.
B) France.
C) South Africa.
D) Switzerland.
E) Liechtenstein.

Question 71

The Icelandic language has changed less than any other Germanic language because of

A) Iceland's close contact with other people and activities.
B) migration by German tribes.
C) Iceland's relative isolation from other places.
D) the extinction of the East Germanic group.
E) continuous exchange with Norway and Sweden.

Question 72

A language that was nearly extinct in British-controlled areas but which is now being revived is

A) Slavic.
B) Celtic.
C) Iranian.
D) English.
E) Pictish.

Question 73

The language spoken by the greatest number of native speakers in the world is

A) Cantonese.
B) English.
C) Hindi.
D) Mandarin.
E) Spanish.

Question 74

The language maps in this chapter show that Tamil is an important language in

A) Bangladesh and India.
B) Pakistan and India.
C) Iran and Pakistan.
D) India and Sri Lanka.
E) Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Question 75

________ is to Canada as ________ is to the United States.

A) French; Spanish
B) English; French
C) French; English
D) Conflict over ethnicity; conflict over language
E) Alaska; Greenland

Question 76

The large number of individual languages documented in Africa has resulted primarily from

A) thousands of years of isolation between cultural groups.
B) repeated invasions by outsiders.
C) introduction of many different languages by the colonial powers.
D) frequent migration by the different tribal groups.
E) colonial administration of native lands.

Question 77

Official languages in Switzerland include all but which of the following?

A) Italian
B) Flemish
C) Romansh
D) French
E) German

Question 78

A pidgin language

A) has no native speakers.
B) is spread by folk culture.
C) stems from invasion.
D) cannot exist for more than a generation.
E) cannot exist without globalization.

Question 79

The language maps in this chapter show that Quechuan is widely spoken in at least ________ South American countries.

A) two
B) eight
C) ten
D) four
E) twelve

Question 80

When people who speak a given language migrate to a different location and become isolated from other members of their group

A) their language usually shows very little change even over a long period of time, despite the appearance of a small number of changes typical of different dialects.
B) they immediately develop a literary tradition.
C) isolation usually results in the differentiation of one language into dialects, followed eventually by two distinct languages.
D) they lose their linguistic abilities.
E) groups form multiple dialects.