(MCQ) (MEG-203) (Block- I) What is Language?

What is Language?

Which of the following is the correct definition of language?

a) A system of communication using sounds, gestures, or written symbols

b) A method of interpreting body language

c) The ability to speak fluently in multiple languages

d) A way of conveying emotions without words

Answer: a) A system of communication using sounds, gestures, or written symbols

Who proposed the idea that language acquisition is innate?

a) Noam Chomsky

b) B.F. Skinner

c) Jean Piaget

d) Lev Vygotsky

Answer: a) Noam Chomsky

Which of the following is NOT one of the four components of language?

a) Phonetics

b) Syntax

c) Semantics

d) Morphology

Answer: a) Phonetics

What is the difference between a sign and a symbol?

a) Signs are only used in spoken language, while symbols are only used in written language

b) Signs have a direct connection to the thing they represent, while symbols are arbitrary

c) Signs are used to convey emotions, while symbols are used to convey information

d) Signs are used by animals, while symbols are unique to humans

Answer: b) Signs have a direct connection to the thing they represent, while symbols are arbitrary

What is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

a) The idea that language determines thought and perception

b) The idea that language is a cultural universal

c) The idea that language is a learned behavior

d) The idea that language acquisition is purely environmental

Answer: a) The idea that language determines thought and perception

Which of the following is NOT one of the three theories of meaning discussed in the unit?

a) Referential theory

b) Speech act theory

c) Cognitive theory

d) Behavioral theory

Answer: d) Behavioral theory

What is the difference between denotation and connotation?

a) Denotation refers to the dictionary definition of a word, while connotation refers to its emotional or cultural associations

b) Denotation refers to the emotional or cultural associations of a word, while connotation refers to its dictionary definition

c) Denotation and connotation are the same thing

d) Denotation is the meaning of a word in context, while connotation is the meaning of a word in isolation

Answer: a) Denotation refers to the dictionary definition of a word, while connotation refers to its emotional or cultural associations.

Which of the following is the oldest known written language?

a) Chinese

b) Sumerian

c) Egyptian

d) Sanskrit

Answer: b) Sumerian

Which of the following ancient civilizations developed a writing system that used hieroglyphs?

a) Mesopotamia

b) Egypt

c) Greece

d) Rome

Answer: b) Egypt

Which of the following is an example of a language isolate?

a) English

b) French

c) Mandarin

d) Basque

Answer: d) Basque

What is the relationship between the Indo-European languages?

a) They are all descended from a common ancestor language

b) They developed independently of each other

c) They were all created by the same group of people

d) They all have a similar grammatical structure

Answer: a) They are all descended from a common ancestor language

What is the name of the writing system developed by the ancient Egyptians?

a) Cuneiform

b) Hieroglyphs

c) Runes

d) Phoenician alphabet

Answer: b) Hieroglyphs

Which of the following is an example of a tonal language?

a) English

b) Spanish

c) Mandarin

d) German

Answer: c) Mandarin

What is the name of the ancient writing system developed by the Sumerians?

a) Cuneiform

b) Hieroglyphs

c) Runes

d) Phoenician alphabet

Answer: a) Cuneiform

Which of the following is NOT one of the three properties of human language discussed in the unit?

a) Productivity

b) Arbitrariness

c) Prescriptiveness

d) Displacement

Answer: c) Prescriptiveness

What is the difference between syntax and grammar?

a) Syntax refers to the structure of sentences, while grammar refers to the set of rules that governs a language

b) Syntax and grammar are the same thing

c) Syntax refers to the sounds of a language, while grammar refers to the meaning of words

d) Syntax refers to the meaning of words, while grammar refers to the structure of sentences

Answer: a) Syntax refers to the structure of sentences, while grammar refers to the set of rules that governs a language

What is the relationship between language and communication?

a) Language is a type of communication

b) Communication is a type of language

c) Language and communication are completely unrelated

d) Language and communication are synonymous

Answer: a) Language is a type of communication

What is the difference between a prescriptive grammar and a descriptive grammar?

a) A prescriptive grammar describes how people actually use a language, while a descriptive grammar provides rules for how people should use a language

b) A prescriptive grammar provides rules for how people should use a language, while a descriptive grammar describes how people actually use a language

c) A prescriptive grammar is used by linguists, while a descriptive grammar is used by language teachers

d) A prescriptive grammar is based on scientific research, while a descriptive grammar is based on intuition

Answer: b) A prescriptive grammar provides rules for how people should use a language, while a descriptive grammar describes how people actually use a language

Which of the following is NOT a function of language?

a) Expressing emotions

b) Asking questions

c) Giving commands

d) Performing physical actions

Answer: d) Performing physical actions

What is the difference between a pidgin and a creole?

a) A pidgin is a simplified language used for communication between people who do not share a common language, while a creole is a fully developed language that has evolved from a pidgin

b) A pidgin is a fully developed language used by a particular ethnic group, while a creole is a simplified language used for communication between people who do not share a common language

c) A pidgin is used exclusively in written communication, while a creole is used exclusively in spoken communication

d) A pidgin is a language with no grammar, while a creole has a well-defined grammar

Answer: a) A pidgin is a simplified language used for communication between people who do not share a common language, while a creole is a fully developed language that has evolved from a pidgin

What is the difference between a language and a dialect?

a) A language is a standardized form of communication, while a dialect is a regional variation of a language

b) A language is a regional variation of a dialect, while a dialect is a standardized form of communication

c) A language is written, while a dialect is only spoken

d) A language has a well-defined grammar, while a dialect does not

Answer: a) A language is a standardized form of communication, while a dialect is a regional variation of a language

What is a native language?

a) A language spoken by people who are not native to the area

b) A language spoken by people who have migrated from other regions

c) A language that is the first language learned by an individual

d) A language that is no longer spoken

Answer: c) A language that is the first language learned by an individual

What is language revitalization?

a) The process of creating a new language

b) The process of bringing a language back from the brink of extinction

c) The process of standardizing a language

d) The process of teaching a language to non-native speakers

Answer: b) The process of bringing a language back from the brink of extinction

What is the difference between a language shift and a language death?

a) A language shift occurs when a community switches from one language to another, while a language death occurs when a language is no longer spoken

b) A language shift occurs when a language is no longer spoken, while a language death occurs when a community switches from one language to another

c) A language shift occurs when a language is revitalized, while a language death occurs when a language is not revitalized

d) A language shift and a language death are the same thing

Answer: a) A language shift occurs when a community switches from one language to another, while a language death occurs when a language is no longer spoken

What is language documentation?

a) The process of teaching a language to non-native speakers

b) The process of creating a written record of a language before it disappears

c) The process of standardizing a language

d) The process of creating a new language

Answer: b) The process of creating a written record of a language before it disappears

What is an endangered language?

a) A language that is spoken by a small number of people

b) A language that is spoken by a large number of people

c) A language that is used for specific purposes, such as religious rituals

d) A language that is used only in written communication

Answer: a) A language that is spoken by a small number of people

What is the importance of preserving endangered languages?

a) Endangered languages have cultural and historical significance

b) Endangered languages have no cultural or historical significance

c) Endangered languages are no longer useful in modern society

d) Preserving endangered languages is too expensive and time-consuming

Answer: a) Endangered languages have cultural and historical significance

What is language loss?

a) The process of a language becoming more complex over time

b) The process of a language becoming more simplified over time

c) The process of a language being replaced by another language

d) The process of a language becoming extinct

Answer: c) The process of a language being replaced by another language