Linguistic anthropology
A) is a research strategy of biological anthropologists studying the emergence of language among nonhuman primates.
B) relies heavily on the methods of phrenology.
C) includes sociolinguistics, descriptive linguistics, and the study of the biological basis for speech.
D) includes cultural anthropology and paleoecology.
E) has securely dated the origin of hominid language.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Linguistic anthropology includes the study of sociolinguistics (how language is used in social contexts), descriptive linguistics (the structure and rules of language), and the biological basis for speech (such as vocal anatomy). It is distinct from biological anthropology, which focuses on human biology and evolution, and does not rely on the methods of phrenology, which is a discredited practice of measuring the shape and size of the skull to determine personality traits. Linguistic anthropology cannot securely date the origin of hominid language, as this is a subject of ongoing research and debate.

Linguistic Anthropology