Deck 8: How and When Is Language Possible

Question 1

The design feature of language that allows you to produce and comprehend entirely new utterances that you've never spoken or heard before is which of the following?

A)discreteness
B)displacement
C)productivity
D)duality of patterning

Answer 1

productivity

Question 2

Although the capacity for speech appears to be part of the human genetic makeup, most linguistic anthropologists now believe that children learn languages

A)primarily in social and cultural settings.
B)primarily from listening to folktales.
C)primarily in school.
D)only by playing with other children.

Answer 2

primarily in social and cultural settings.

Question 3

A theory that as children develop their intellectual abilities and their linguistic abilities follow suit is what kind of theory?

A)innatist theory
B)behaviorist theory
C)cognitivist theory
D)active construction of a grammar (or t heory )theory

Answer 3

cognitivist theory

Question 4

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that the units used for communication can be separated into distinct units that cannot be mistaken for one other is which of the following?

A)discreteness
B)displacement
C)productivity
D)broadcast transmission and directional reception

Question 5

Which design feature of human language is shared with most other kinds of animal communication?

A)broadcast transmission and directional reception
B)traditional transmission
C)displacement
D)productivity

Question 6

The design feature of language that refers specifically to the use of speaking and hearing as a key feature of language is

A)vocal auditory channel.
B)interchangeability.
C)total feedback.
D)duality of patterning.

Question 7

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that discrete units of language at one level (such as sounds)can be combined to create different kinds of units at a different level (such as words)is which of the following?

A)discreteness
B)displacement
C)productivity
D)duality of patterning

Question 8

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that speakers can hear themselves talk and that they can monitor what they say as they say it is referred to as

A)vocal auditory channel.
B)broadcast transmission and directional reception.
C)interchangeability.
D)total feedback.

Question 9

A theory that children need to hear language from others around them (stimulus)and to receive praise (positive feedback)from parents and/or caretakers in order to develop their linguistic abilities is what kind of theory?

A)innatist theory
B)behaviorist theory
C)cognitivist theory
D)active construction of a grammar (or t heory )theory

Question 10

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that the sounds of human language are sent out in all directions, but that listeners perceive those sounds as coming from a specific direction is referred to as

A)vocal auditory channel.
B)broadcast transmission and directional reception.
C)interchangeability.
D)total feedback.

Question 11

A theory that language is the result of a complex set of theories that children create about the linguistic stimuli they are exposed to is what kind of theory?

A)innatist theory
B)behaviorist theory
C)cognitivist theory
D)active construction of a grammar theory (or t heory theory)

Question 12

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that you can talk about things that are not present is which of the following?

A)discreteness
B)displacement
C)productivity
D)duality of patterning

Question 13

The design feature of language th at refers to the fact t hat specific sound signals can be directly linked to specific meanings is

A)specialization.
B)semanticity.
C)arbitrariness.
D)rapid fading.

Question 14

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that language signals don't last very long is

A)specialization.
B)semanticity.
C)arbitrariness.
D)rapid fading.

Question 15

Linguistic anthropologist Robbins Burling argues that some of the earliest instances of language use might have been

A)generating calls, rather than comprehending them.
B)comprehending calls, rather than generating them.
C)closing calls, rather than opening them.
D)inventing folktales and tall tales.

Question 16

Recent sign language research in Nicaragua appears to bolster which of the following theories about language acquisition?

A)behaviorist theory
B)cognitivist theory
C)innatist theory
D)active construction of a grammar (or theory)theory

Question 17

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that a speaker can repeat anything that any other human says is

A)vocal auditory channel.
B)broadcast transmission and directional reception.
C)interchangeability.
D)total feedback.

Question 18

A theory that children's brains function as language acquisition devices, comparing specific languages with a genetically built-in "core grammar" to help children acquire specific languages rapidly, is what kind of theory?

A)innatist theory
B)behaviorist theory
C)cognitivist theory
D)active construction of a grammar (or t heory )theory

Question 19

The design feature of language that refers to the fact that there is no necessary or causal connection between a signal and its meaning is:

A)specialization.
B)semanticity.
C)arbitrariness.
D)rapid fading.

Question 20

Regarding ideas about language in children, the "active construction of a grammar (or theory )theory" argues that

A)as children develop their linguistic abilities, their intellectual abilities follow suit.
B)as children develop their intellectual abilities, their linguistic abilities follow suit.
C)children need to hear language from others around them (stimulus)and to receive praise (positive feedback)from parents and/or caretakers in order to develop their linguistic abilities.
D)children observe and interact with the world around them and form theories about their experiences.

Question 21

Which of the following physical characteristics is/are thought to be necessary for spoken human language?

A)incisors
B)enlarged nasal passages
C)enlarged tongue
D)lowered larynx

Question 22

Which of the following is considered to be the most likely order of steps along the road to the evolution of full-fledged human language?

A)from blended calls through closed calls to duality of patterning
B)from duality of patterning through blended calls to closed calls
C)from closed calls through duality of patterning to blended calls
D)from closed calls through blended calls to duality of patterning

Question 23

Duality of patterning is a very important design feature of language that sets human language apart from animal communication systems.

Question 24

Explain the significance of research into Nicaraguan sign language on the "theory theory" (also referred to as the "active construction of grammar theory").

Question 25

People with damage to Broca's area have trouble producing speech.

Question 26

Despite the best efforts of researchers, nonhuman primates have never been able to demonstrate productivity when using sign language.

Question 27

While research into brain functioning suggests that language might have been possible as early as 2 million years ago, fully modern speech may not have been possible until 100,000 years ago, in Homo sapiens , due to the importance of lowered larynx positioning.

Question 28

Ottenheimer's research with Shintiri suggested to her that the evolutionary shift from blended calls to duality of patterning may have occurred in the context of children's language play.

Question 29

Describe the design feature that Hockett thought was probably the most likely to have emerged last in the development of human language. Why did Hockett think this feature must have emerged last?

Question 30

Although nonhuman primates have been able to use human languages to a certain extent, which design feature appears to remain unreachable for nonhuman primates?

A)duality of patterning
B)traditional transmission
C)productivity
D)displacement

Question 31

Identify two elements of the anatomy of H. sapiens which are clearly associated with language, and describe the relationship between this element of anatomy and language.

Question 32

The first evidence of the evolution of Broca's and Wernike's areas of the brain was found in the fossil remains of

A)archaic Homo sapiens, 8,000 to 12,000 years ago.
B)Australopithicenes, 1.26 to 1.8 million years ago.
C)Neanderthals, 100,000 to 150,000 years ago.
D)Homo habilis, 1.8 to 2 million years ago.

Question 33

The area of the brain known as Wernicke's area is responsible for

A)syntactic rules
B)the combination of morphemes
C)pronunciation
D)comprehension of language