Question 1

Printing was introduced into England in 1476 by …………….
A)william bailey
B)coverdale
C)william caxton
D)william jones

Accepted Answer

William Caxton is credited with introducing the printing press to England in 1476, significantly impacting the spread of literature and learning.

Question 2

Which dialect was used by William Caxton for printing ?
A)west midland
B)east midland
C)kentish
D)central midland

Accepted Answer

William Caxton used the East Midland dialect for printing, which was spoken in London and its surroundings. This dialect eventually became the basis for modern Standard English.

Question 3

The remarkable changes in the pronunciation of vowels which took place during the transition from Middle English to Modern English are commonly referred to as the ………
A)great vowel shift
B)consonant shift
C)addition
D)mutation

Accepted Answer

The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in the pronunciation of the English language that occurred between the 15th and the 18th centuries, affecting the long vowels of Middle English and leading to many of the pronunciation patterns of Modern English.

Question 4

The Old English Period has been called the period of …………
A)leveled inflections
B)lost inflection
C)less inflection
D)full inflection

Accepted Answer

The Old English Period is known for its complex system of inflections, where nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs were inflected or modified to express grammatical relationships such as case, gender, number, tense, mood, etc. This period had a richer and more elaborate system of inflection compared to Modern English, hence it is referred to as the period of full inflection.

Question 5

The Middle English Period has been called the period of ……………
A)leveled inflections
B)lost inflection
C)less inflection
D)full inflection

Accepted Answer

The Middle English Period is known for leveled inflections, where the complex system of Old English inflections was simplified, leading to more uniform endings.

Question 6

The New English Period has been known as……………
A)leveled inflections
B)lost inflection
C)less inflection
D)full inflection

Accepted Answer

The New English Period is characterized by the loss of inflections, leading to a more simplified grammatical structure compared to Old English.

Question 7

" How barbarously we yet write and speak. Your lordship knows, and I am sufficiently sensible in my own English" Whose words are these?
A)tennyson
B)dryden
C)johnson
D)wordsworth

Accepted Answer

These words are attributed to John Dryden, a prominent English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who was made England's first Poet Laureate in 1668.

Question 8

in the 18th century the need for standardization and regulation of English was summed up in the word………..
A)standardization
B)addition
C)ascertainment
D)regularization

Accepted Answer

The term "ascertainment" was used in the 18th century to describe the need for standardization and regulation of English, reflecting the desire to ascertain or determine the correct usage of the language.

Question 9

Who defined ascertainment as a "settled rule, an established standard."
A)dryden
B)tennyson
C)swift
D)dr. johnson

Accepted Answer

Dr. Johnson defined ascertainment as a "settled rule, an established standard."

Question 10

" A proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue" is the title of the letter by ………….
A)swift
B)dryden
C)tennyson
D)dr. johnson

Accepted Answer

Jonathan Swift wrote "A Proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue" in 1712, addressing it to the Earl of Oxford to propose improvements for the English language.

Question 11

Dr. Jonhson's " A Dictionary of the English Language" was published in ………
A)1765
B)1766
C)1755
D)1789

Accepted Answer

Dr. Samuel Johnson's "A Dictionary of the English Language" was published in 1755, marking a significant milestone in the development of English dictionaries.

Question 12

Who is the author of " A Dictionary of the English Language?
A)jonson
B)dr. johnson
C)swift
D)king james

Accepted Answer

"A Dictionary of the English Language" was authored by Samuel Johnson, who is often referred to as Dr. Johnson. This monumental work was published in 1755 and is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language.

Question 13

Who is the author of the book "Practical Grammar of the English Tongue"
A)william jones
B)werner
C)dr. johnson
D)william loughton

Accepted Answer

William Loughton is the author of "Practical Grammar of the English Tongue."

Question 14

"The Rudiment of English Grammar" was written by………
A)joseph priestley
B)william loughton
C)werner
D)dr. johnson

Accepted Answer

"The Rudiment of English Grammar" was written by Joseph Priestley, a renowned 18th-century theologian, chemist, and grammarian.

Question 15

Who is the author of " The British Grammar"?
A)robert lowth
B)james buchanan
C)loughton
D)swift

Accepted Answer

James Buchanan is the author of "The British Grammar," published in 1762.

Question 16

Who of the following announced that many languages came from one old base language?
A)sir william jones
B)sassetti
C)jacob grimm
D)joseph greenberg

Accepted Answer

Sir William Jones, in a 1786 lecture to the Royal Asiatic Society, proposed that many of the languages spoken across Europe and Asia were related and descended from a common ancestral language. This groundbreaking idea laid the foundation for the field of comparative linguistics and the study of Indo-European languages.

Question 17

What was the second earliest form of language seen on earth?
A)cave drawings
B)cuneiform
C)english
D)indo- european

Accepted Answer

Cuneiform is considered the second earliest form of language seen on earth, developed by the Sumerians of Mesopotamia c. 3500-3000 BCE. It followed pictorial representations like cave drawings but preceded other forms of written language.

Question 18

Which f the following words might be of Vicking Descent?
A)skate
B)crabby
C)rate
D)a and b

Accepted Answer

The words "skate" and "crabby" are of Viking descent, reflecting the influence of Old Norse on the English language due to Viking invasions and settlements.

Question 19

Around how many words did Shakespeare invent?
A)20.000
B)9, 000
C)10,000
D)8000

Accepted Answer

Shakespeare is estimated to have invented around 20,000 words.

Question 20

During the Middle English period, many words were borrowed from which two languages?
A)celtic and old norse
B)latin and french
C)urdu and iroquoian
D)spanish and latin

Accepted Answer

During the Middle English period, a significant number of words were borrowed from Latin and French, largely due to the Norman Conquest of 1066, which brought a substantial French influence on the English language, alongside the scholarly and ecclesiastical influence of Latin.

Quiz 2: English Language and Its History: From Printing to the First Dictionary

Printing was introduced into England in 1476 by …………….

Which dialect was used by William Caxton for printing ?

The remarkable changes in the pronunciation of vowels which took place during the transition from Middle English to Modern English are commonly referred to as the ………

The Old English Period has been called the period of …………

The Middle English Period has been called the period of ……………

The New English Period has been known as……………

" How barbarously we yet write and speak. Your lordship knows, and I am sufficiently sensible in my own English" Whose words are these?

in the 18th century the need for standardization and regulation of English was summed up in the word………..

Who defined ascertainment as a "settled rule, an established standard."

" A proposal for Correcting, Improving and Ascertaining the English Tongue" is the title of the letter by ………….

Dr. Jonhson's " A Dictionary of the English Language" was published in ………

Who is the author of " A Dictionary of the English Language?

Who is the author of the book "Practical Grammar of the English Tongue"

"The Rudiment of English Grammar" was written by………

Who is the author of " The British Grammar"?

Who of the following announced that many languages came from one old base language?

What was the second earliest form of language seen on earth?

Which f the following words might be of Vicking Descent?

Around how many words did Shakespeare invent?

During the Middle English period, many words were borrowed from which two languages?