Chapter 4: Language

Question 1

Language

Answer 1

system of communication that uses symbols organized according to certain rules to convey information

Question 2

Historical Linguistics

Answer 2

study of development of language over time

Question 3

Language Continuum

Answer 3

idea that variation in languages appear gradually over distance so groups of people who live near each other speak in a way that is mutually unintelligible

Question 4

Speech Community

Answer 4

group of people who share certain norms of language through living and communicating together

Question 5

Descriptive Linguistics

Answer 5

study of construction of sounds, meaning, and communication of meaning

Question 6

Phonemes

Answer 6

smallest unit of sound that makes a difference in meaning

Question 7

Phonology

Answer 7

study of sounds that exist in a language and their importance

Question 8

Morphemes

Answer 8

smallest unit of sounds that carry meaning on their own

Question 9

Morphology

Answer 9

study of patterns and how sounds make morphemes

Question 10

Syntax

Answer 10

patterns and rules for combining morphemes to make sentences

Question 11

Grammar

Answer 11

combined set of observations about rules governing use of phonemes, morphemes, and syntax

Question 12

Kinesics

Answer 12

study of relationship between body movements and communication

Question 13

Paralanguage

Answer 13

extensive set of noises and tones of voice that convey information about the speaker

Question 14

Which gene activates human speech capabilities?

Answer 14

FOXP2 gene

Question 15

Linguistic Relativity

Answer 15

one cannot predict how languages will classify the world, only that they will develop distinctions and categories necessary for those who speak them to deal with reality

Question 16

Sapir Whorf Hypothesis

Answer 16

languages create different ways of thinking

Question 17

Chomski Hypothesis

Answer 17

Humans share similar language ability and thus ways of thinking

Question 18

Lexicon

Answer 18

words for names, ideas, and events that make up a language’s dictionary

Question 19

Speech Registers

Answer 19

words and terminology that develop with particular distinction to describe unique cultural realities of a group of people

Question 20

Sociolinguistics

Answer 20

study of how culture shapes language and language shapes culture

Question 21

Dialect

Answer 21

non standard variation of a language

Question 22

Prestige Language

Answer 22

particular language variation or way of speaking that is associated with wealth, success, education, and power

Question 23

Pierre Bourdieu proposed that language serves as a type of what by allowing individuals to convert skills into financial capital?

Answer 23

Cultural capital

Question 24

Language Ideology

Answer 24

beliefs about language that often serve to rationalize and justify patterns of stratification and inequality

Question 25

Code Switching

Answer 25

switching back and forth between one linguistic variant and another or one language to another based on cultural context

Question 26

Language Loss

Answer 26

extinction of languages with few speakers

Question 27

How often is a language lost?

Answer 27

Every 10 days