Question 1

Why is it chimpanzees cannot speak human words very well?

Accepted Answer

Chimpanzees cannot speak human words very well primarily because their vocal tract is anatomically different from that of humans, which affects their ability to produce the same range of sounds.

Question 2

In what way is language critical to humanity?

Accepted Answer

Language is fundamental to humanity for several reasons: it has influenced our biological evolution by facilitating complex social structures and cooperation; it allows us to communicate abstract ideas, enabling the development of advanced technologies and societies; and it is essential for social learning, as it enables the transmission of knowledge and culture across generations.

Question 3

Which of these is NOT a key property of language that distinguishes it from the communication systems of other animals?

Accepted Answer

Proper grammar is not a key property that distinguishes human language from the communication systems of other animals. While grammar is a feature of human languages, the concept of "proper grammar" is specific to human linguistic systems and their social norms, rather than a fundamental property that differentiates human language from animal communication. The other options (B) Arbitrariness, (C) Discreteness, and (D) Displacement are considered key properties of human language.

Question 4

Every language has a limited number of sounds and rules for combining them to create units of meaning. This characteristic of language is called

Accepted Answer

Discreteness refers to the property of language that involves a finite set of discrete units (such as phonemes in spoken languages) that are used to create meaningful structures (words, sentences) through various combinations according to specific rules.

Question 5

Humans have the ability to talk about things, times, and places that are not within their immediate experience. The term for this is

Accepted Answer

Displacement is the linguistic term that describes the ability of humans to talk about things, times, and places that are not present in their immediate physical environment. This feature distinguishes human language from the communication systems of other species, allowing for discussion of past and future events, hypothetical situations, and abstract concepts.

Question 6

Productivity refers to the

Accepted Answer

Productivity in linguistics refers to the capability of language to generate an infinite number of sentences from a finite set of rules and vocabulary, allowing for endless expression of new ideas.

Question 7

Gestures, written words, and speech are all forms of

Accepted Answer

Gestures, written words, and speech are all forms of media as they are different channels or methods used to convey information and communicate.

Question 8

Speakers of any language share knowledge of the sounds, rules for combining them, words, and the rules for combining them into meaningful sentences. This combined and shared knowledge is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Grammar encompasses the sounds of a language, the rules for combining these sounds, the vocabulary, and the syntax rules for constructing sentences, reflecting the shared linguistic knowledge among speakers.

Question 9

Variations in pronunciation and vocabulary that exist among the speakers of a language are termed

Accepted Answer

Dialects are variations in language, including pronunciation and vocabulary, that occur among speakers of a language based on geographical, social, or ethnic differences.

Question 10

What is the superior dialect of English, in a linguistic sense?

Accepted Answer

Linguistically, no dialect or variety of a language is considered superior to another. Each dialect has its own rules and structures that are equally valid. The concept of superiority is often socially or politically constructed, not linguistically justified.

Question 11

What are two aspects of grammar?

Accepted Answer

Phonology and morphology are two aspects of grammar. Phonology is the study of sound combinations, while morphology is the study of the smallest units of meaning.

Question 12

The unique individual sounds that make a difference in the meanings of words are called

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

Linguists use slash marks (//) to show that a particular sound is a

Accepted Answer

Slash marks (//) are used by linguists to denote a phoneme, which is the smallest unit of sound that can distinguish meaning in a language.

Question 14

Languages can differ in

Accepted Answer

Languages can differ in pitch, voice, and tone, as these are all aspects of phonology, the study of the sound systems of languages. Each language uses these elements in unique ways to convey meaning.

Question 15

Many languages spoken in Africa and Southeast Asia have words that change in meaning depending on the pitches with which they are spoken. These languages are called

Accepted Answer

Tone languages are those in which pitch or tone is used to distinguish meaning between words or syllables that are otherwise similar in sound. This characteristic is common in many African and Southeast Asian languages.

Question 16

Which of these is the term for any sequence of phonemes that carries meaning?

Accepted Answer

Morpheme is the correct term for the smallest grammatical unit in a language. A morpheme can be a word or a part of a word that carries meaning.

Question 17

The food names squash, maize, hominy, avocado, and tapioca all have Native American origins. This is because

Accepted Answer

These foods were first domesticated by Native Americans, who had been cultivating them long before European settlers arrived in the New World.

Question 18

Pleasure, sadness, and anger are shown by similar facial expressions everywhere in the world. This is evidence that

Accepted Answer

These expressions having a biological basis is supported by research showing that even in cultures that have had little to no contact with the rest of the world, people still express these emotions in similar ways. This suggests that such expressions are innate and not learned, pointing to a biological foundation rather than a cultural one.

Question 19

What did Edward Hall's pioneering work in the area of proxemics find?

Accepted Answer

Edward Hall's work in proxemics found that the distance between people during interactions communicates various nonverbal messages, influencing social behavior and expectations.

Question 20

The text suggests that ____ presents the greatest potential for misunderstanding for people within the same culture and from different cultures.

Accepted Answer

Touching and other nonverbal communication can vary significantly across cultures, leading to misunderstandings both within the same culture and between different cultures.

Quiz 3: Culture and Language