Name: ___________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________
chapter 4
1. Preserving endangered languages is an important goal of linguistic
anthropologists. Discuss the ambiguous role that information technology and the
digital divide may play in language preservation. Using examples from the text,
assess the efforts of members of less-prominent languages to gain access to
community technology and cross the “digital divide.” How is the digital divide
related to issues of language extinction?
2. The author both suggests that globalization contributes to language loss and gives
examples of how other phenomena associated with it can help promote language
preservation and revitalization. What do you think? Present both sides of the
argument and back up your position with arguments, evidence, and examples from
the text.
3. Why do linguistic anthropologists argue that endangered languages should be
preserved? What are some of the strategies that have been used to preserve or
revitalize languages? Discuss two examples showing how linguists have been
involved in preserving endangered languages.
4. Don Kulick’s 2003 study explored the gendered understandings of the word no.
What did Kulick find? How might his study have implications for both linguistic
anthropology and gender relations more generally? What might be one way to
foster a better understandings of consent across gender divides?
5. What are two models that linguistic anthropologists use to explain why men and
women use language in gendered ways? Give examples of each. Which of these
two models do you believe is a better explanation, and why?
6. What did Yiddish linguist Max Weinreich mean when he said that a language is a
dialect with an army and a navy?
7. Using the concepts of cultural capital and prestige language, discuss two examples
of how language variations can be linked to particular social statuses in a society.
How are linguistic standards established or reinforced?
8. From an anthropologist’s perspective, all language varieties are equally interesting
and complex; however, different ways of speaking often have different statuses in a
specific society. Explain how language and power intersect by discussing how
nonprestige language variations may be marginalized.
9. Nonhuman primates are cannot use their vocal cords, tongue, and lips to speak
like humans do. Does that mean they also lack the mental capacity for human
language? Describe the research that tested the language capacity of nonhuman
primates and the findings. Do researchers agree that these studies were able to
teach the primates language in the human sense? Explain why or why not.
10. For linguistic anthropologists, how people convey messages is as crucial as the
spoken or written words. What do anthropologists examine when they observe
paralanguage and kinesics? Give an example of how kinesics and paralanguage
can give the same sentence completely different meanings.
11. On what types of archaeological evidence have anthropologists drawn to estimate
when the human capacity for speech evolved?
12. Ninety-nine percent of digital communication is transmitted via undersea fiber-optic
cables, the distribution of which is shown in the image. What is one negative effect
of undersea fiber-optic cables?
a.
usage instead of satellites
b.
knowledge of oceanic life
c.
linking ocean observatories
d.
inequality arising from the number of landing points per country
13. The digital divide refers to the gap between the people who have access to the
Internet and those who do not. Identify the correct statement about Internet use
around the world.
a.
Fifty percent of the world uses the Internet.
b.
Thirty-two percent of Europeans use the Internet.
c.
Fifty percent of Africans use the Internet.
d.
Seventy percent of the world uses the Internet.
14. The digital age is changing the way that people communicate. Identify the practice
shown in this image of employees of a Honda factory in Zhongshan, China.
a.
code switching
b.
digital activism
c.
language loss
d.
digital division
15. Harrison calls people who are working to preserve their language “language
warriors.” Which of the following examples would fall into this category?
a.
Government schools that imposed a harsh, English-only curriculum on Native
American children
b.
the Chinese government’s establishment of Mandarin as the national
standard language
c.
Washoe elder Ramona Dick’s refusal to go to an English-only school
d.
the use of social media during the Arab Spring uprising
16. David Harrison travels the world documenting endangered languages, during what
he calls a “language extinction crisis.” Which of the following is not a factor that
contributes to language loss?
a.
genocide
b.
politics
c.
social oppression
d.
social networks
17. Historically, European languages initially spread throughout the world and became
globally dominant as a result of
a.
the widespread popularity of the Bible.
b.
the growing popularity of European television shows.
c.
early colonial expansion.
d.
forced migration.
18. Which term is used to describe the extinction of languages that have very few
speakers?
a.
linguistic shift
b.
code switching
c.
language loss
d.
linguistic relativity
19. Because few children grow up learning to speak the Lakota language, efforts have
been made to preserve language samples and artifacts in tribal areas. One of the
major efforts in use today is
a.
a participatory social media platform built by LiveAndTell.
b.
replacing Standard English with the Lakota language in local schools.
c.
the translation of the Christian Bible into the Lakota language by the Summer
Institute of Linguistics.
d.
legislation making the Lakota language the official language in all tribal areas.
20. Worldwide, which language has the greatest number of native speakers today?
a.
Hindi
b.
Chinese
c.
Arabic
d.
English
21. The Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL)
a.
is a secular institution with the mission of preserving indigenous religious
practices.
b.
sends missionaries into the field to create written versions of indigenous
languages with the goal of disseminating the Christian Bible in those
languages.
c.
has attempted to eliminate indigenous languages and replace them with
English.
d.
is a religious institution with the mission of putting an English Bible into the
hands of native speakers.
22. Chinese, which is spoken by about 1.3 billion people, is the most common native
language in the world. Why do many Chinese students go to English-speaking
countries to learn English?
a.
The Chinese government seeks to develop more Chinese-language
universities and centers abroad.
b.
English is spoken by nearly 95 percent of the world’s population.
c.
English is a prestige language worldwide and is helpful in education and
technology.
d.
The production of global media like radio and television is extremely difficult
to accomplish using written Chinese.
23. What has been the outcome of the effort to preserve the Native American Lakota
language, which today is spoken by about 25,000 people in the United States?
a.
There is now a new dialect of Lakota that is more widely spoken.
b.
It has resulted in the widespread adoption of Lakota terms in many parts of
the country.
c.
There is a widespread integration of social media into the preservation effort
to allow for more widespread sharing and engagement.
d.
It has resulted in the loss of Lakota cultural capital due to online piracy and
exploitation.
24. The work of the Summer Institute of Linguistics presents a challenge to
anthropology because it
a.
includes translating biblical texts at a low cost.
b.
captures data that might otherwise be lost but also seeks to seeks to impose
a certain religious belief.
c.
is a means of embedding a specific religious belief into a digital format.
d.
creates Christian versions of aspects of local culture, such as ritual language,
songs, and art.
25. What is happening to human language diversity worldwide?
a.
Languages are only being lost outside the United States.
b.
Languages are being lost at the rate of three per day.
c.
New languages are being created at a rate faster than they are being lost.
d.
Languages are being lost at the rate of one every ten days.
26. Which of the following statements is untrue about African American English (AAE)?
a.
AAE is also known as Ebonics.
b.
AAE is spoken by millions of African Americans.
c.
AAE does not have consistent grammar rules and vocabulary.
d.
Scholars disagree about the origins of AAE.
27. Which of the following might be considered a dialect?
a.
a Midwestern American accent
b.
a language variant whose use brings financial gain
c.
the type of French that is spoken in government and national media
d.
the type of French spoken by locals at the French-Italian border
28. In Montreal, Quebec, Canada, signs posted in public view (such as for streets or
restaurants) are required to show the words in French first, usually above the
English version and in larger type sizes. This reflects
a.
the language continuum.
b.
that there are more French speakers in Canada than English speakers.
c.
the use of political power to control language use.
d.
an interest in welcoming both French and English speakers.
29. How is the “border” between languages established?
a.
Language borders are established through mutual intelligibility.
b.
Language borders are officially set by the United Nations.
c.
Language borders are established through political means.
d.
Local governments make decisions about where a language “starts” and
“stops.”
30. How might a sociolinguist explain “mock Spanish” terms such as “el cheapo”?
a.
Mock Spanish makes fun of Spanish speakers while enhancing the status of
English speakers.
b.
The use of these terms is completely acceptable among the ethnic groups
from which the terms are drawn.
c.
“Mock Spanish” reflects the celebration of a specific cultural heritage.
d.
Linguistic boundaries should remain sharp and language use should be
neatly ordered.
31. In 1996, the Oakland School District proposed the use of Ebonics in the school
system. What did the subsequent revision of that proposal suggest about African
American English?
a.
African American English was considered a significant language
development.
b.
African American English was seen as a low-status language.
c.
Ebonics was seen as not “African” enough.
d.
African American English was seen as a prestige language.
32. Linguistic anthropologists have discovered that the languages spoken in Europe—
such as Latin, English, German, and Greek—are derived from an earlier language,
called
a.
Proto-Indo-European.
b.
Pre-Modern European.
c.
Pan-Archaic European.
d.
Proto-Germanic.
33. Language can be a form of cultural capital that is used to reinforce power dynamics
established by a culture’s institutions. What is the kind of language used to
establish this “norm” against which all speakers are judged called?
a.
paralanguage
b.
syntax
c.
focal vocabulary
d.
prestige language
34. A historical linguist would be most likely to study
a.
a nonstandard variation of a language that is particular to a specific region.
b.
the development of language over time, including its changes and variations.
c.
the way linguistic variants alternate back and forth, depending on the context.
d.
the way variation in language appears gradually over the distance between
places.
35. In 2009, newly elected president Barack Obama visited a famous eatery in
Washington, D.C., and, after paying his tab, he was asked by the cashier if he
wanted his change. The president replied, “Nah, we straight.” Which of the
following did the president do?
a.
spoke a dialect of English
b.
used language as cultural capital
c.
code-switched
d.
spoke Standard English
36. Both efforts to enforce and efforts to deviate from standard English in a school
setting frequently evoke controversy. What did the introduction of Ebonics in
Oakland, California, schools seek to accomplish?
a.
help African American children succeed in school
b.
introduce a new federal policy that allowed the teaching of nonstandard
English
c.
replace Standard English with Black English in the school district
d.
certify teachers as proficient in Black English
37. What did John Russell Rickford and Russell John Rickford conclude in their study
of “Spoken Soul”?
a.
The English language has more than twenty known dialects.
b.
All African Americans are very adept at code switching.
c.
This linguistic variant of English is gradually fading from use.
d.
This variant of English is in wide use by African Americans in a range of
settings.
38. What do anthropologists call a nonstandard variation of a language?
a.
prestige language
b.
a consequence of displacement
c.
dialect
d.
morpheme
39. You are traveling across South America. You speak Spanish but not Portuguese.
However, as you cross from Colombia into Brazil, you are surprised to realize that
you can still understand many of the Portuguese speakers. What linguistic
phenomenon are you experiencing?
a.
the language continuum
b.
code switching
c.
lexicon
d.
prestige language
40. Holden and Buddy both sell luxury cars. Holden, who exchanges witty banter with
clients with a polished accent and expansive vocabulary, sells many cars. But
Buddy’s working-class jokes and body language—which were effective when he
worked at a used-car dealership—seem to scare off potential clients. What does
this illustrate about linguistic cultural capital?
a.
Language standards are not important in business-hiring practices.
b.
Economic capital can be used to purchase prestige languages.
c.
Language skills are a form of cultural capital that can be converted into
monetary gain.
d.
It is a useful tool for car sales, but not for financial careers.
41. Don Kulick’s study of gendered meanings of the word no demonstrates that men in
a male-dominated culture may not hear it when a woman says “no” because they
do not expect to hear it. What are the implications of the power of culture to shape
the meaning of language for men?
a.
Men are not allowed to take up space in most conversations.
b.
Men prove the validity of their opinions more often than women.
c.
Men in U.S. culture are expected to say “yes” to women’s sexual initiatives,
and never “no.”
d.
There are fewer words in the English language to describe male emotions.
42. Don Kulick’s study of the use of the word no in sexual relations examines
a.
how the meaning of the word has shifted over time.
b.
legal determinations of consent in U.S. rape cases.
c.
similarities in how consent is constructed across cultures.
d.
how the interpreted meaning of a word may depend on the gender of the
speaker and that of the listener.
43. A common stereotype in the United States suggests that women never seem to
stop talking. What research finding about men seems to contradict this stereotype?
a.
Women are better able to use language to their advantage.
b.
Men use linguistic strategies to maintain conversational dominance and
speak more than women.
c.
Women are often reluctant to speak up in mixed-gender settings.
d.
Men adopt linguistic strategies that focus on letting women participate in
conversation.
44. Deborah Tannen’s research into how women and men speak suggests that
a.
they use a form of cross-cultural communication.
b.
language differences are primarily based on biology, not processes of
socialization.
c.
they have nearly identical communication strategies.
d.
the best way to understand gender and language is through the “dominance”
model.
45. Which subdiscipline of anthropology emphasizes how culture, society, and social
status intersect with language?
a.
cultural preservation
b.
sociolinguistics
c.
psychological anthropology
d.
historical linguistics
46. Self-help books, such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, that suggest
that men and women are essentially different are examples of the
a.
dominance model.
b.
difference model.
c.
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
d.
linguistic relativism.
47. The idea that difference in how men and women communicate is due to gender-
based inequalities in the larger society is called
a.
the dominance model.
b.
the difference model.
c.
the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
d.
linguistic relativism.
48. Like the “N–word,” the term “queer” changes in meaning, depending on how it is
used and by whom. These examples illustrate which concept in linguistic
anthropology?
a.
how similar groups of people share the struggle to overcome derogatory
words
b.
how different social groups are always able to control the use of a specific
terms
c.
ways that language and power are distinct from one another
d.
the implications of how deeply language and power intersect
49. Bonnie Uricuoli’s study of bilingual Puerto Ricans in New York City found that they
creatively drew on both languages when among family, friends, and neighbors, but
in outer spheres,
a.
school teachers, hospital staff, and employers celebrated their speech
practices.
b.
they could cross the language boundary without repercussions.
c.
their speech patterns were seen as cosmopolitan, authentic, or humorous.
d.
even their accents were met with resistance and marked them as racially
different.
50. William Labov’s study correlated the pronunciation of store clerks in New York City
with
a.
their stores’ prestige.
b.
British speech patterns.
c.
race and gender.
d.
other speech communities.
51. To what did the grandmother of Keith Basso’s story refer when she said, “I shot her
with an arrow”?
a.
the use of corporal punishment in socialization
b.
a Native American coming-of-age ritual
c.
indirectly correcting behavior with a story
d.
the skill of female archers
52. Keith Basso spent over thirty years living and working with which group of people?
a.
the Nur
b.
the Hopi
c.
the Lakota
d.
the Apache
53. After hearing Laura Bohannan attempt to translate Hamlet, the Tiv elders
concluded that the cause of the characters’ problems was
a.
ghosts.
b.
witchcraft.
c.
hubris.
d.
chiefs.
54. What did anthropologist Laura Bohannan discover in her attempt to translate a
classic text from English literature into Tiv?
a.
All humans share an underlying universal appreciation of grammar.
b.
It is important for anthropologists to translate and share stories once they are
fluent.
c.
An accurate translation of Shakespeare is best accomplished through sign
language.
d.
The meaning of the story became lost, as the original meanings of the
English words could not be easily translated.
55. The Hopi language has verb tenses that differ from those of English. Benjamin
Whorf’s linguistic research among the Hopi people suggested that they have
a.
a worldview in which the past and the present represent lived reality and the
future is hypothetical.
b.
been able to retain their cultural traditions by only having one dialect.
c.
a worldview that keeps past, present, and future as entirely separate
concepts.
d.
the same conceptual idea of time as everyone else.
56. It is often said that the native Aztecs mistook the Spanish conquistadors for gods.
The Nahuatl word that they used, teotl, does means “god,” but it also means
“demon” or “god impersonator” (someone intended for sacrifice). This illustrates
how language is organized into categories that
a.
are universally recognizable by all humans.
b.
may not make sense to members of other groups with different cultural
realities.
c.
are often embedded into texts and stories that are universal in nature.
d.
are separate from the local folklore.
57. Boas argued that the familiar classifications and categories of European languages
a.
are linguistic universals that are present in all societies.
b.
may be absent or radically different in non-Western societies.
c.
should be learned and preserved in national lexicons.
d.
need to be translated into non-Western languages so that those languages
can be understood.
58. The idea that different languages shape different ways of thinking and acting is
called
a.
linguistic relativity.
b.
cultural relativism.
c.
the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
d.
syntax.
59. Who extended their concept of “cultural relativism” to language?
a.
Franz Boas
b.
Edward Sapir
c.
Laura Bohannan
d.
Benjamin Lee Whorf
60. The specific idea that each language categorizes the lived reality of its speakers in
a unique way is called
a.
linguistic relativism.
b.
the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
c.
worldviews.
d.
cultural relativism.
61. Which term refers to names, ideas, and events that offer a kind of catalogue of
what is spoken and can be compiled into something accessible to others?
a.
dialect
b.
grammar
c.
lexicon
d.
syntax
62. What does Benjamin Whorf ’s research with the Hopi, a Native American group in
the southwestern United States, suggest about language?
a.
The human brain is hardwired for organizing language in a universal manner.
b.
Language shapes different ways of thinking.
c.
Language occurs independently of thought.
d.
Thought occurs independently of language.
63. Anli is an anthropologist who uses social media to study how relationships evolve
over time. Specifically, she is interested in how people ascribe social meaning to
“friending” and “unfriending” people on social networking platforms and how these
words developed. What kind of language is she studying?
a.
paralanguage
b.
focal vocabulary
c.
prestige language
d.
kinesics
64. American women are far more likely than American men to distinguish between
colors like teal and turquoise or magenta and purple. What is this an example of?
a.
a biological difference between men and women
b.
the gendered focal vocabulary that exists within American culture
c.
the use of paralanguage that differentiates female culture from the dominant
male culture
d.
the use of linguistic productivity and displacement
65. Ninety percent of how we communicate is through nonverbal actions and cues.
Which parts of language do emojis try to replace when communicating digitally?
a.
paralanguage and body language
b.
paralanguage and spoken language
c.
spoken language and body language
d.
digital language and spoken language
66. The FOXP2 gene has been connected with human language use. Identify the
correct statement about the FOXP2 gene.
a.
The FOXP2 gene may activate the ability to use human speech.
b.
The FOXP2 gene may activate the ability to learn only certain languages.
c.
The FOXP2 gene may activate the ability to use gestures with speech.
d.
The FOXP2 gene may activate the ability to understand language.
67. Identify the correct statement about language in the United States.
a.
Thirty-two states have English-only laws.
b.
Three hundred languages are spoken in the United States.
c.
English is the national language of the United States.
d.
Some states have laws declaring that Spanish speakers may be arrested on
suspicion of being undocumented immigrants.
68. Anthropologists have shown that chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates are
able to communicate about things that are not immediately present and events in
the past or future. What aspect of human language does this describe?
a.
displacement
b.
productivity
c.
complexity
d.
innovation
69. What does the term language continuum refer to?
a.
a nonstandard variation of a language that is particular to a specific region
b.
the study of the development of language over time, including its changes
and variations
c.
the alternating back-and-forth between more than one linguistic variant,
depending on the context
d.
the idea that variation in languages appears gradually over distance between
places
70. What do we call the system of human communication based on a set of symbols
and signs with learned and shared meanings?
a.
grammar
b.
paralanguage
c.
phonology
d.
language
71. Scholars have studied nonhuman primates to draw conclusions about the origins of
human language because they seem capable of learning how to
a.
communicate through drawing.
b.
communicate through sign language.
c.
speak a handful of basic English words.
d.
speak to other nonhuman primates with their own spoken language.
72. A linguist who is studying how a group of people use noises such as laughing and
crying to convey emotional information is studying what?
a.
paralanguage
b.
phonology
c.
morphology
d.
symbolic linguistics
73. What do linguists call small units of sound that carry meaning on their own?
a.
phonemes
b.
syntax
c.
morphemes
d.
paralanguage
74. About what percentage of emotional information is communicated through kinesics
and paralanguage?
a.
90
b.
10
c.
50
d.
33
75. Your yogurt label states that it contains “healthy probiotic bacteria.” Even if you
don’t know what that is, the fact that you know it should not be written “bacterias
healthies biotic-pros” reflects your understanding of English
a.
paralanguage.
b.
syntax.
c.
phonology.
d.
grammar.
76. What term describes the rules about how to use phonemes, morphemes, and
syntax that are followed by speakers of a language?
a.
paralanguage
b.
morphology
c.
kinesics
d.
grammar
77. Prefixes such as “pre–,” “post–,” and “non–” are examples of
a.
syntax.
b.
morphemes.
c.
phonemes.
d.
grammar.
78. The words “day” and “pay” might sound like the same word to a nonnative speaker
of English, but they have very different meanings. A linguist would identify the “d”
and “p” sounds as different
a.
phonemes.
b.
morphemes.
c.
syntax.
d.
grammar.
79. What term do anthropologists use to refer to the smallest units of sounds that can
make a critical difference in meaning within a language but do not have any
meaning on their own?
a.
paralanguage
b.
morphemes
c.
phonemes
d.
grammar
80. A group of people who come to share certain norms of language use through living
and communicating together is called a
a.
speech community.
b.
language continuum.
c.
language ideology.
d.
speech register.
81. What is American Sign Language (ASL) an example of?
a.
a gesture-and-call system
b.
a language
c.
a paralanguage
d.
kinesics
82. “I just love it when that happens,” said Bob sadly, shaking his head slowly;
however, this morning, he had said the same words in a happy tone while clapping
his hands excitedly. What terms would a linguist use to describe these nonverbal
elements of communication that affect the meaning of the words he said?
a.
sadness and happiness
b.
emotion and register
c.
sign languages
d.
kinesics and paralanguage
83. Kwan, an exchange student, was very happy when he saw his nice, comfortable
room, so he smiled and made a circle with his index finger and thumb, with his
other fingers sticking out. His host mother was so upset that she called the school
principal to complain. How would a linguist explain what went wrong?
a.
“OK” is spelled differently elsewhere.
b.
She was not on Kwan’s linguistic continuum.
c.
Sign language is not a real language.
d.
The meaning of gestures is not universal.
84. Sometimes words cannot convey everything. What is it called when we resort to a
system of body movements and a collection of noises and tones of voice in order
to convey additional information?
a.
interest and emotions
b.
symbols and meanings
c.
motions and calls
d.
kinesics and paralanguage
85. What might an anthropologist who is interested in kinesics study?
a.
the origins of human language
b.
dialects of the same language
c.
how body language varies across cultures
d.
how paralanguage varies across cultures
86. We sometimes “signal” interest in someone without the use of words, which is part
of how we establish a relationship with another person. Which concept would an
anthropologist use to describe our behavior?
a.
displacement
b.
morphology
c.
kinesics
d.
paralanguage
87. Which of these provides archaeological evidence for the origins of human
language?
a.
fossilized brain casts of Neandertals that show the anatomical features for
speech
b.
existence of the FOXP2 gene, which is also found in chimpanzees
c.
careful study of nonhuman primate sounds and gestures
d.
the idea that different languages create different ways of thinking
88. Many animals, such as dolphins and great apes, communicate with each other
through gestures and sounds. Human language uses sounds, gestures, and
a.
the sense of smell.
b.
symbols.
c.
calls.
d.
chemical trails.
89. How many languages are currently spoken in the world?
a.
nearly 7,000
b.
nearly 7 million
c.
nearly 1 million
d.
nearly 700
90. How long has Spanish been spoken in parts of what is now known as the United
States?
a.
since the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation requiring it
b.
since immigration increased in response to globalization
c.
since the North American Free Trade Agreement was passed in 1994
d.
since what is now the South and Southwest were colonized by Spain over
500 years ago
Answer Key
chapter 4
