Question 1

What is a reason for semantic misunderstandings?
A)Poor grammar by the sender.
B)Sloppy encoding by the sender.
C)Using words that have more than one commonly accepted definition.
D)Using complicated language.

Accepted Answer

Using words that have more than one commonly accepted definition can easily lead to semantic misunderstandings. This is because the sender and receiver may have different interpretations of the word, causing confusion and miscommunication. Poor grammar, sloppy encoding, and complicated language can also contribute to misunderstandings, but they are not as significant as using multiple definitions for a word.

Question 2

"You probably won't agree, but no one should be working on Canada's Labour Day holiday." What form of deferential language does this statement contain?
A)a disclaimer
B)a hedge
C)a hesitation
D)a polite form

Accepted Answer

The statement uses a disclaimer, which is a form of deferential language that anticipates disagreement or opposition by acknowledging it upfront.

Question 3

"I'm really excited to see you." What form of deferential language does this statement contain?
A)an intensifier
B)a hedge
C)a hesitation
D)a polite form

Accepted Answer

The statement contains an intensifier ("really") to emphasize the speaker's excitement, which is a common way to strengthen a statement without altering its basic meaning.

Question 4

Jessica approached a group of friends chatting and heard Jason saying he crawled to the end of the bough. She thought he had gone boating, but he was referring to apple picking. This is an example of using what type of words?
A)equivocal words
B)convergent words
C)relative words
D)semantic equivalents

Accepted Answer

The statement is an example of equivocal words, as the word "bough" can have multiple meanings (such as a branch of a tree or a large, flat-bottomed boat), resulting in miscommunication or confusion.

Question 5

According to Canadian researcher Colleen Reid's study on women living in poverty, what is a major reason for the exclusion of these women in society?
A)their lack of adequate income
B)their lack of communication skills
C)the use of emotive labels in reference to them
D)the consuming demands on them as single mothers

Accepted Answer

The use of emotive labels in reference to women living in poverty contributes to their exclusion in society by perpetuating negative stereotypes and biases.

Question 6

Martin teaches at a local college and has done everything he can to ensure he uses a generic pronoun. He struggles with how best to address his class. According to the text, which greeting would be the most appropriate?
A)"Hello, guys and gals."
B)"Hello, guys."
C)"Hello, folks."
D)"Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and others."

Accepted Answer

"Hello, folks" is the most appropriate because it is a gender-neutral greeting that includes everyone in the class. "Hello, guys and gals" and "Hello, guys" are not appropriate because they only address males and females separately, which reinforces the gender binary. "Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and others" is also not appropriate because it still reinforces the gender binary and can be seen as disingenuous.

Question 7

Which of the following is the least abstract?
A)giving me more time
B)paying attention to me every day
C)letting me know you appreciate me
D)saying "thanks" when I help with your work

Accepted Answer

Saying "thanks" when I help with your work is the least abstract because it is a specific action that can be easily defined and observed, compared to the other options which are more general and open to interpretation.

Question 8

Which statement best describes the problem with "but" statements?
A)They are always positive.
B)They are unclear.
C)They cancel out the thought that proceeds it.
D)They blame the other person.

Accepted Answer

Using "but" cancels out the thought that precedes it, which can be confusing or dismissive to the listener.

Question 9

A group of social work students have been instructed to create an activity for Grade 1 students. As they sit together to map out their plan, one student begins by stating, "Well, we could try this idea of using art materials." What type of deferential language did this student use?
A)disclaimers
B)hedges
C)hesitations
D)tag questions

Accepted Answer

The answer of A group of social work students have...

Question 10

Which of the following most successfully changes the statement "You are a slob" into an "I" statement?
A)"I need you to do more work around here; I do more than my share."
B)"I have to do the dishes since you never do, and I'm getting tired of it."
C)"I am frustrated because you never do the dishes.It seems like you don't want to help."
D)"I get mad when you leave the dishes, and then I have to do them.It seems like you don't care about the apartment."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following most successfully changes...

Question 11

"Excuse me. I have an 8 am exam. Would you mind turning down the music just a little?" What form of deferential language is this?
A)an intensifier
B)a hedge
C)a hesitation
D)a polite form

Accepted Answer

The statement includes deferential language by using "excuse me," indicating a polite form of request. The use of "would you mind" also signals deference and respect for the person being asked to turn down the music.

Question 12

What semantic problem can be caused by statements such as "Frank is a responsible nurse"?
A)emotive language
B)equivocation
C)semantic language
D)static evaluation

Accepted Answer

Static evaluation occurs when language is used to make a generalization that doesn't account for change over time or context, such as assuming Frank's responsibility as a nurse is unchanging.

Question 13

At the end of class, a group of students were talking about their presentation that is due the following week. It becomes clear to their instructor, Professor Bake, that they have not met to work on their presentation or even to organize their work. Professor Bake speaks up and states to them, "It's about time to get started, isn't it?" What type of deferential language did the professor use?
A)disclaimers
B)hedges
C)hesitations
D)tag questions

Accepted Answer

The professor used a tag question ("isn't it?") to make a suggestion in a polite and indirect manner, which is a form of deferential language.

Question 14

Which of the following terms is sexist or exclusive?
A)chairman
B)flight attendant
C)police officer
D)menswear clerk

Accepted Answer

The term "chairman" implies that the position can only be held by a man, and is therefore considered exclusive and sexist. Alternatives such as "chairperson" or "chair" are more inclusive. The other options (B, C, and D) are gender-neutral and not exclusive.

Question 15

English-speaking visitors to the Arctic see just a lot of snow and ice. The Inuit, however, see many different substances because they have many different words for snow, depending on their different consistency and usefulness. What is this an example of?
A)cognitive complexity
B)perspective-taking
C)Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
D)social relativism

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which proposes that language shapes our understanding of the world and influences our perception of reality. In this case, the Inuit have more nuanced and specific language for different types of snow, reflecting their distinct experience and relationship with their environment.

Question 16

What must an "I" statement contain?
A)a description of the other person's feelings
B)a description of the other person's behaviour
C)the consequences of the speaker's behaviour
D)supportive comments about the other person

Accepted Answer

"I" statements typically focus on the speaker's feelings and perceptions without blaming the other person, and they often include a description of the other person's behavior as it relates to the speaker's feelings.

Question 17

"Don't you think we should give it another try?" What form of deferential language does this statement contain?
A)a disclaimer
B)a hedge
C)a hesitation
D)a tag question

Accepted Answer

This statement contains a tag question ("don't you think?"), which is used to make the sentence less direct and more polite, showing deference to the listener's opinion or feelings.

Question 18

Which of the following represents the highest-level abstraction?
A)farmer
B)human being
C)man
D)wheat farmer

Accepted Answer

"Human being" is the highest-level abstraction as it applies to all individuals of the species regardless of gender, occupation, or other specific characteristics. The other choices are more specific subsets of the "human being" abstraction.

Question 19

What are equivocal words?
A)low-level abstractions
B)words that mean the same thing to most people
C)words that have more than one commonly accepted definition
D)words with meanings that are not modified by the accompanying nonverbal behaviour

Accepted Answer

Equivocal words are words that have more than one commonly accepted definition. For example, the word "bank" can refer to a financial institution or the side of a river. The ambiguity in the meaning of equivocal words can lead to misunderstandings and confusion in communication.

Question 20

Jason has moved to a new school. He starts using slang that other students are using even though these are words he normally doesn't use. What is Jason experiencing?
A)divergence
B)convergence
C)using differential language
D)using disruptive language

Accepted Answer

Jason is experiencing convergence, which is the process of adapting one's language to be more similar to the language of those around them.

Quiz 5: Language: Barrier and Bridge

What is a reason for semantic misunderstandings?

"You probably won't agree, but no one should be working on Canada's Labour Day holiday." What form of deferential language does this statement contain?

"I'm really excited to see you." What form of deferential language does this statement contain?

Jessica approached a group of friends chatting and heard Jason saying he crawled to the end of the bough. She thought he had gone boating, but he was referring to apple picking. This is an example of using what type of words?

According to Canadian researcher Colleen Reid's study on women living in poverty, what is a major reason for the exclusion of these women in society?

Martin teaches at a local college and has done everything he can to ensure he uses a generic pronoun. He struggles with how best to address his class. According to the text, which greeting would be the most appropriate?

Which of the following is the least abstract?

Which statement best describes the problem with "but" statements?

A group of social work students have been instructed to create an activity for Grade 1 students. As they sit together to map out their plan, one student begins by stating, "Well, we could try this idea of using art materials." What type of deferential language did this student use?

Which of the following most successfully changes the statement "You are a slob" into an "I" statement?

"Excuse me. I have an 8 am exam. Would you mind turning down the music just a little?" What form of deferential language is this?

What semantic problem can be caused by statements such as "Frank is a responsible nurse"?

Which of the following terms is sexist or exclusive?

English-speaking visitors to the Arctic see just a lot of snow and ice. The Inuit, however, see many different substances because they have many different words for snow, depending on their different consistency and usefulness. What is this an example of?

What must an "I" statement contain?

"Don't you think we should give it another try?" What form of deferential language does this statement contain?

Which of the following represents the highest-level abstraction?

What are equivocal words?

Jason has moved to a new school. He starts using slang that other students are using even though these are words he normally doesn't use. What is Jason experiencing?