Question 1
Match each example with the appropriate term.
- a. b. productivity
- a. b. displacement
a. Koko the gorilla asks about the whereabouts of a kitten that is not in the room.
b. Chantek the orangutan sees a swan and signs "water" and "bird" in succession.
Question 2
Match each term with its definition.
- a. b. c. d. phoneme
- a. b. c. d. morpheme
- a. b. c. d. syntax
- a. b. c. d. grammar
a. smallest units of sound that carry meaning on their own
b. smallest units of sound that make a difference in meaning
c. combined set of rules that govern use of a particular language
d. rules for forming speech sounds into phrases and sentences
Question 3
Chantek, the orangutan discussed in the text, is reported to have the ability to swear, tell jokes and invent new words by combining different signs. This behavior suggests that Chantek, at least, is capable of
a. using spoken language
b. using displacement
c. using a call system
d. using sign language
Question 4
Different types of evidence give us clues about the origins of human language. This includes fossilized brain casts of early hominids as well as written records found by archeologists. But other important clues can come from
a. fossilized brain casts or non-human primates.
b. early art found on cave walls.
c. the distribution of hominid fossil remains in a particular geographical area.
d. tools made in a specific way, found over a wide range.
Question 5
Dumbledore, a pet Doberman, barks three times every day when the mail carrier comes by the house. Which of the following terms is most applicable to the dog's communication?
a. call system
b. displacement
c. productivity
d. language
Question 6
How many languages are currently in use in the world?
a. nearly 70
b. nearly 7,000
c. nearly 700
d. nearly 70,000
Question 7
Linguistic anthropology considers origins and use of human language. Why is this of interest and importance to anthropologists?
a. Studying human language helps us understand the social nature of human life.
b. Studying human language helps us understand globalization.
c. Studying human language helps us defeat ethnocentric attitudes.
d. Studying human language helps us understand human evolution.
Question 8
Many of you reading this book have grown up using computers, email, and social media as an integral part of your daily life. How might an anthropologist categorize you in a linguistic sense?
a. technocrats
b. digital natives
c. polyvocalists
d. the Facebook generation
Question 9
One particular type of linguistics considers the intricate ways that culture itself shapes language and how language can shape culture. This is known as
a. descriptive linguistics
b. communicative linguistics
c. historical linguistics
d. sociolinguistics
Question 10
Terms such as participant observation, ethnography, and cultural relativism are part of the anthropologist's:
a. lexicon.
b. toolkit.
c. focal vocabulary.
d. fieldwork process.
Question 11
The elements of language include all of the words, sounds and gestures. A call system, however, is not considered part of a language. Why is this?
a. A call system cannot be written down.
b. A call system only uses sounds that are different from the sounds used in a language.
c. A call system is used by more than humans.
d. A call system is not organized according to a set of rules.
Question 12
The text discusses the LiveAndTell project, an effort to preserve the Lakota Language before it disappears completely. The effects of globalization on language vary considerably, and include the consolidation of language, the use of "loanwords," and a loss of overall linguistic diversity. Even as many languages such as Lakota are being carefully preserved, one of the more difficult problems that globalization brings to language is
a. the difficulty of revising linguistic lexicons as consolidation increases.
b. the reduced use of actual spoken language.
c. an increasing rate of language loss.
d. the failure of technological innovation to provide preservation solutions for linguistic preservation.
Question 13
Which of the following is suggested by the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?
a. A certain set of morphemes is fundamental to all human languages.
b. The structure of the human brain causes all humans to have a universal grammar.
c. A certain set of phonemes is fundamental to all human languages.
d. Different languages create different ways of thinking.
Question 14
Which of the following would be considered paralanguage?
a. a guttural sound, such as a scream
b. a newspaper article
c. a scowl
d. a wave hello or goodbye
Question 15
Which of the theories below sees power differentials between males and females in a society as a foundation for gender-based differences in language?
a. dominance model
b. code switching
c. difference model
d. Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
Question 16
Which type of linguistics considers the totality of a language-the sounds and gestures and symbols-in the way that those things together convey meaning?
a. communicative linguistics
b. sociolinguistics
c. descriptive linguistics
d. historical linguistics
Question 17
Which type of linguistics examines language and how it develops and changes over a long period of time?
a. descriptive linguistics
b. communicative linguistics
c. historical linguistics
d. sociolinguistics
Question 18
Writing assignments in college courses give students opportunities to practice writing in an academic tone. This tone is considered a reflection of the prestige language in vogue in society at a given time. It is also very different from the language you'd use when conversing with others at a party or via text message. What term best describes your ability to navigate these different linguistic situations?
a. code switching
b. difference model
c. polyvocality
d. call system
Question 19
You might have had the unfortunate experience of "getting the finger" if you made a minor mistake while driving-mistakenly going out of turn at a stop sign, for example. While there might not have been any verbal exchange, this particular kind of interaction is a form of
a. paralanguage.
b. kinesics.
c. abuse.
d. call system.
Question 20
You've decided to create a list of all of the words for names, events, and ideas that exist in the Palauan language. Which of the following are you creating?
a. lexicon
b. focal vocabulary
c. paralanguage
d. syntax
Question 21
A dialect is considered to be
a. an incorrect version of the standard language.
b. a nonstandard variation of a language.
c. the result of linguistic corruption.
d. the result of influences from a neighboring language.
Question 22
Jane Hill argues that the use of "Mock Spanish" by whites results in
a. the marginalization of Spanish speakers and borders on a racist discourse that elevates whiteness and English while denigrating Spanish-speaking populations.
b. the lightening of tensions through humor during a difficult situation of conflict between cultures.
c. the elevation of Spanish as a cosmopolitan status symbol among English speakers.
d. an increased understanding of the trials of modern transnational immigration.
Question 23
Sociolinguistics is the study of
a. how people use language in different cultural contexts.
b. how culture shapes language and language shapes culture.
c. how the use of language intersects with cultural categories and systems of power such as age, race, and ethnicity.
d. All of these.
Question 24
Apes that have been taught American Sign Language have displayed "productivity," meaning that they
a. are able to be more efficient in their food-gathering strategies.
b. are more successful than other apes in achieving social dominance within a group.
c. are able to produce complex stone tools like those made by our early human ancestors.
d. can use known words to invent new word combinations when confronted with a previously unknown situation.
Question 25
Human language is accompanied by an extensive set of noises, such as laughs, cries, sighs, and yells. These noises are referred to by anthropologists as
a. kinesics.
b. phonemes.
c. paralanguage.
d. productivity.
Question 26
The term "displacement" refers to the ability of a human language to
a. displace other forms of less complex communication, such as gesture and paralanguage.
b. negotiate the complex social networks that are the result of humans living in large groups.
c. use words to refer to objects or events not immediately present or events happening in the past or future.
d. All of these