Question 1

English-Canadian accents vary widely from coast to coast even for second-generation immigrants.

Accepted Answer

The answer of English-Canadian accents vary widely from coast to...

Question 2

The smallest units of sound that make a difference in meaning are called phonemes.

Accepted Answer

Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language that can distinguish words from one another, thereby making a difference in meaning.

Question 3

Instant messaging (IM)is of little or no interest to linguists because it is an inadequate form of communication.

Accepted Answer

Instant messaging is of great interest to linguists as it provides a unique platform to study language use in real-time interactions. It allows for analysis of linguistic features such as syntax, grammar, and discourse markers in a more natural setting than other forms of written communication. Additionally, the abbreviated and informal nature of IM language has given rise to new linguistic phenomena, such as emojis and text messaging abbreviations, that are worth studying.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes paralanguage?
A) extra-linguistic noises that accompany language
B) body motions that convey messages
C) a gesture-call system
D) the use of space and touch

Accepted Answer

Paralanguage refers to the nonverbal components of speech, such as tone of voice, intonation, and pauses, that add meaning to an utterance. It does not include body movements, gesture-calls, or the use of space and touch.

Question 5

Vocal qualifiers are different from vocal segregates.How are vocal segregates different from vocal qualifiers?
A) Vocal segregates are not made up of words.
B) Vocal segregates are not learned.
C) Vocal segregates are based on emphasized words.
D) Vocal segregates are the same across cultures.

Accepted Answer

Vocal segregates are non-lexical sounds such as "um", "ah", or "hmm" that are used as pause fillers or placeholders. Vocal qualifiers, on the other hand, modify the meaning or context of words and phrases, such as "maybe", "definitely", or "probably".

Question 6

The smallest combinations of sound that have meaning in a language are called words.

Accepted Answer

The smallest combinations of sound that have meaning in a language are called morphemes, not words. Morphemes are the minimal units of meaning, and a word can be made up of one or more morphemes.

Question 7

Glottochronology assumes that the rate at which a language's core vocabulary changes is variable and thus can determine which of two or more languages is changing most rapidly.

Accepted Answer

Glottochronology is based on the assumption that the rate at which a language's core vocabulary changes is constant, not variable, over time, which allows for the estimation of the time of divergence between languages.

Question 8

Paralinguistic expressions such as oh-oh,shh,uh-huh,and uh-uh are learned and vary from culture to culture.

Accepted Answer

Paralinguistic expressions are non-verbal vocalizations that convey meaning or emotion. They are learned and vary from culture to culture. For example, the meaning of "shh" may differ in different cultures, as well as the intonation or length of the sound. Similarly, "uh-huh" and "uh-uh" may have different meanings or usage depending on the cultural context.

Question 9

Language is not just a system;it is a completely symbolic system.There is no necessary connection between a sound (word)and the concept signified;different languages have different words for the same concepts.This means that the relation is arbitrary and symbolic;each word represents a concept.What is the term that refers to this concept?
A) abstraction
B) displacement
C) linguistic nationalism
D) dialects

Accepted Answer

The answer of Language is not just a system;it is...

Question 10

Proto-Indo-European refers to the fairly recent development of linguistic blending of English with such languages as Punjabi,Russian,Norwegian,Spanish,and French.

Accepted Answer

Proto-Indo-European is actually a reconstructed language that is believed to be the common ancestor of many of the modern Indo-European languages, including English, Punjabi, Russian, Norwegian, Spanish, and French. It is not a blending of these languages, but rather a hypothetical language that existed thousands of years ago.

Question 11

Which of the following phenomena can often be observed in a class-structured society?
A) more linguistic nationalism
B) pronunciation differences between upper and lower classes
C) standardization of pronunciation
D) mutually unintelligible dialects between upper and lower classes

Accepted Answer

Pronunciation differences between upper and lower classes are a common phenomenon in class-structured societies as social class can affect language use and language attitudes. The upper classes may use a more prestigious accent, while the lower classes may use a more vernacular accent.

Question 12

The first people to study languages were European explorers,invaders,and missionaries collected facts about different languages.

Accepted Answer

The study of languages, or linguistics, has ancient roots predating European explorers, invaders, and missionaries. Ancient scholars in India, the Middle East, and Greece, among others, were already analyzing and documenting languages long before the modern era.

Question 13

Every language is comprised of vocabulary and syntax.What distinguishes syntax from vocabulary?
A) It describes nonverbal content.
B) It is about the sounds that make up a word.
C) It is about the meaning of words.
D) It is about the ordering of words.

Accepted Answer

Syntax refers to the ordering of words in a sentence or phrase, while vocabulary refers to the words themselves and their meanings. Therefore, the best choice is (D) "It is about the ordering of words."

Question 14

According to cross-cultural research,the habitual greetings that one person gives to another are the same for all humans,regardless of culture or such factors as age,gender,or class.

Accepted Answer

While certain forms of greetings may be common across cultures, there are also many variations and differences based on factors like culture, age, gender, and social class. Therefore, the statement is not entirely true.

Question 15

Which characteristics of a speaker can we most accurately determine through information conveyed by the "gesture-call" system?
A) honesty and sincerity
B) position and education
C) age and gender
D) physical morphology and ontology

Accepted Answer

The "gesture-call" system is related to nonverbal communication and is used to convey information such as age, gender, and social status. Therefore, we can most accurately determine the speaker's age and gender through this communication system. The other options such as honesty, education or physical morphology are not directly related to nonverbal communication.

Question 16

Expressions such as smiling,laughing,crying,and anger are universally similar and reflect inheritance from our primate ancestry.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that basic emotional expressions such as those mentioned are universally similar across cultures and even in other primates, suggesting a biological basis inherited from our primate ancestry.

Question 17

Human arrangement and use of space is culturally defined.

Accepted Answer

The way humans arrange and utilize space is determined by cultural norms, customs, and practices, which vary from one society to the next. Different cultures have different preferences and values when it comes to personal space, communal space, public vs. private space, and so on. Therefore, space usage is not universal but rather contingent on cultural context.

Question 18

Conventional gestures such as eyebrow lifts,nodding and shaking the head,and using the hands to illustrate a point in speech send identical messages across all cultures and are the result of biology rather than learning.

Accepted Answer

These gestures are not universal and can have different meanings in different cultures, indicating that they are learned behaviors rather than purely biological instincts.

Question 19

All languages are composed exclusively of sounds.

Accepted Answer

Many languages include non-verbal components such as sign languages, which rely on visual-manual modality, and written languages, which use visual symbols.

Question 20

Syntax refers to the rules for making phrases and sentences in a language.

Accepted Answer

Syntax refers to the rules for structuring phrases and sentences in a language. These rules dictate the order of words, the use of punctuation, and how words must be combined to form meaningful statements.

Quiz 4: Language and Communication