unit 3 Flashcards
What is language?
A system of communication through speech, movement, sounds, or symbols that a group of people understands to have the same meaning.
How many Americans and people worldwide use sign language?
1 million Americans and 466 million people worldwide use sign language.
What is centripetal force in the context of language?
A force that unifies people, such as sharing a language.
What is centrifugal force in the context of language?
A force that pulls people apart, such as using different languages.
Why do people in two locations use the same language?
Because of migration.
Why do people in two locations use different languages?
Because of lack of communication amongst them.
What is an example of a language family shared due to migration?
Madagascar, Indonesia, and the Philippines share a language family.
How is language compared to luggage?
Language is like luggage; people carry it with them when they move around.
How many languages does Ethnologue estimate exist in the world?
Ethnologue estimates that the world has 1,090 languages.
What is an institutional language?
A language used in education, work, mass media, and government.
What is a developing language?
A language in daily use by people of all ages.
What is a vigorous language?
A language in daily use by people of all ages but lacks literary tradition.
What is a threatened language?
A language used for face-to-face communication but is losing users.
What is a dying language?
A language still used by older people but is not being transmitted by children.
What is literary tradition?
It is when a language is written as well as spoken.
