The Languages of the Onge Family

Description: The Onge language family is a small family of languages spoken by the Onge people of the Andaman Islands. The family consists of two languages, Onge and Jarawa, which are spoken by about 100 and 200 people, respectively. Onge and Jarawa are closely related, and they share many similarities in their grammar and vocabulary. However, they are also distinct languages, and they are not mutually intelligible.
Number of Questions: 15
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Which language family do the Onge and Jarawa languages belong to?

  1. Austroasiatic

  2. Austronesian

  3. Sino-Tibetan

  4. Dravidian


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages belong to the Austroasiatic language family, which is a large family of languages spoken in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia.

Where are the Onge and Jarawa languages spoken?

  1. Andaman Islands

  2. Nicobar Islands

  3. Lakshadweep Islands

  4. Maldives


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages are spoken in the Andaman Islands, which are a group of islands located in the Bay of Bengal.

How many people speak the Onge language?

  1. 100

  2. 200

  3. 300

  4. 400


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Onge language is spoken by about 100 people.

How many people speak the Jarawa language?

  1. 100

  2. 200

  3. 300

  4. 400


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Jarawa language is spoken by about 200 people.

Are the Onge and Jarawa languages mutually intelligible?

  1. Yes

  2. No


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages are not mutually intelligible, which means that speakers of one language cannot understand speakers of the other language.

What is the grammatical structure of the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. Subject-Verb-Object

  2. Subject-Object-Verb

  3. Verb-Subject-Object

  4. Object-Subject-Verb


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages have a Subject-Object-Verb grammatical structure.

What is the basic word order of the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. SOV

  2. SVO

  3. VSO

  4. OSV


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages have a Subject-Object-Verb basic word order.

Do the Onge and Jarawa languages have a writing system?

  1. Yes

  2. No


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages do not have a writing system.

What is the status of the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. Endangered

  2. Vulnerable

  3. Stable

  4. Thriving


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages are both endangered languages, which means that they are at risk of disappearing.

What are some of the challenges facing the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. Loss of speakers

  2. Lack of education

  3. Government neglect

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages face a number of challenges, including loss of speakers, lack of education, and government neglect.

What can be done to help the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. Document the languages

  2. Teach the languages in schools

  3. Promote the use of the languages in the media

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

There are a number of things that can be done to help the Onge and Jarawa languages, including documenting the languages, teaching the languages in schools, and promoting the use of the languages in the media.

Why is it important to preserve the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. They are a part of our cultural heritage

  2. They provide insights into the history of the Andaman Islands

  3. They are a source of knowledge about the natural world

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages are important to preserve because they are a part of our cultural heritage, they provide insights into the history of the Andaman Islands, and they are a source of knowledge about the natural world.

What are some of the unique features of the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. They have a complex system of verb conjugations

  2. They have a large number of loanwords from other languages

  3. They have a unique system of counting

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages have a number of unique features, including a complex system of verb conjugations, a large number of loanwords from other languages, and a unique system of counting.

How are the Onge and Jarawa languages related to other languages in the world?

  1. They are related to the Austroasiatic languages

  2. They are related to the Austronesian languages

  3. They are related to the Sino-Tibetan languages

  4. They are related to the Dravidian languages


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The Onge and Jarawa languages are related to the Austroasiatic languages, which is a large family of languages spoken in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia.

What is the future of the Onge and Jarawa languages?

  1. They are likely to disappear in the next few decades

  2. They are likely to survive, but only in a limited capacity

  3. They are likely to thrive and become more widely spoken

  4. It is difficult to say


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The future of the Onge and Jarawa languages is difficult to predict. They face a number of challenges, but there are also efforts being made to preserve them. It is possible that they will disappear in the next few decades, but it is also possible that they will survive, or even thrive.

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