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.

Accepted Answer

The Uralic language family is the second most widely spoken in Europe after the Indo-European family, which includes Balto-Slavic and Romance languages.

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.

Accepted Answer

The first speakers of the language that evolved into English were Germanic tribes that lived in what is now present-day Denmark, along with parts of Germany and Sweden.

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.

Accepted Answer

The main difference between languages in the same family, branch, or group is how recently in time the languages were once the same. Languages evolve and change over time, so the longer ago that two languages split from their common ancestor, the more differences they will have.

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.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A group of languages that share a...

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.

Accepted Answer

A lingua franca is a language used as a common means of communication between people who speak different languages. It is not specific to any particular region or language, but rather serves as a bridge between different languages and cultures.

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

Accepted Answer

The Dravidian language family is primarily spoken in southern India and parts of Sri Lanka, and it has a smaller global speaker base compared to the Austronesian language family, which is widespread across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

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.

Accepted Answer

A group of languages that share a common ancestor before recorded history is called a language family. This is different from a dialect, which refers to a variation of a language spoken in a particular region or by a particular group of people. A language branch refers to a group of languages that share a common origin or ancestor and have some similarities, but also some differences. A language group is a smaller subdivision within a language branch. A language root is not a commonly used term in linguistics.

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.

Accepted Answer

The language spoken by soldiers stationed throughout the Roman Empire was known as Vulgar Latin. This was distinct from the formal written Latin used by the educated elite. Vulgar Latin eventually evolved into the modern Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a Romance language?
A) Bulgarian
B) Italian
C) Portuguese
D) Romanian
E) French

Accepted Answer

Bulgarian is not a Romance language; it belongs to the Slavic language family. Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and French are all Romance languages, meaning they evolved from Latin.

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

Accepted Answer

According to the diagrams in the chapter, the percentage of Sino-Tibetan speakers is around 6.7% of the world's population, while the percentage of Indo-European speakers is around 45%. Therefore, the percentage of Indo-European speakers is higher than the percentage of Sino-Tibetan speakers.

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.

Accepted Answer

The Sino-Tibetan language family includes the languages spoken in China, including Mandarin, Cantonese, and others. Indo-European and Indo-Iranian languages are spoken in South Asia and Europe. Mandarin is a specific language within the Sino-Tibetan family, not the family itself. Austro-Asiatic languages are spoken in Southeast Asia.

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.

Accepted Answer

Franglais refers to the mixing of English and French within the French language. It is not a dialect, standard language, or lingua franca. It also typically refers to informal or slang usage rather than a formal language used by 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.

Accepted Answer

According to most linguists, the two largest language families are Sino-Tibetan and Indo-European. Sino-Tibetan languages are spoken in East Asia, including Chinese and Tibetan, while Indo-European languages are spoken in Europe, India, and parts of Central and West Asia, including English, Spanish, Hindi, and Russian.

Question 14

The most widely spoken language in Brazil is
A) Creole.
B) French.
C) Portuguese.
D) Spanish.
E) Catalan.

Accepted Answer

Portuguese is the official language of Brazil and is spoken by virtually the entire population.

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

Accepted Answer

The Austro-Asiatic language family has fewer speakers compared to the Altaic language family, which includes languages like Turkish and Mongolian.

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.

Accepted Answer

The Angles and Normans both invaded England, bringing their respective languages with them. Over time, these languages merged with the existing Old English language to form Middle English, which eventually evolved into Modern English.

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.

Accepted Answer

Different Germanic invaders settled in different regions, leading to the development of distinct dialects within England. For example, Old Norse words are still used in Northern English dialects, reflecting the influence of Viking invaders.

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.

Accepted Answer

Basque is an isolated language, meaning it has no known linguistic relatives and is not part of any language family or group.

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.

Accepted Answer

The trunks of the trees in a language tree diagram represent language families, which are groups of languages that can be traced back to a common ancestor. These language families can then be broken down into smaller sub-groups, such as dialects or language groups. While there is evidence of possible prehistoric superfamilies, the trunks on a language tree diagram typically represent existing, well-established language families. Language sects are not typically depicted on language tree diagrams.

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.

Accepted Answer

The distribution of languages is influenced by both the globalizing forces of communication and trade, as well as the local factors that shape linguistic diversity. As such, studying language distribution can offer insights into the interplay between globalization and local diversity.

Quiz 5: Languages

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

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

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

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

A lingua franca is

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

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

Which of the following is not a Romance language?

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

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

Franglais is

The two largest language families in the world are

The most widely spoken language in Brazil is

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.

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

Dialects developed within England primarily because

Basque is a good example of a(n)

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

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