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Typology and Language Variation

Description: This quiz assesses your knowledge of Typology and Language Variation, a branch of linguistics that studies the diversity of languages and how they vary across different dimensions.
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: typology language variation linguistics
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Which of the following is NOT a major typological distinction in languages?

  1. Analytic vs. Synthetic

  2. Tonal vs. Non-tonal

  3. Ergative vs. Accusative

  4. Head-marking vs. Dependent-marking


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Tonality is a phonological feature, not a typological distinction.

In an analytic language, morphemes are typically:

  1. Free and independent

  2. Bound and dependent

  3. Both free and bound

  4. None of the above


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Analytic languages rely on free morphemes to convey meaning, rather than bound morphemes.

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

  1. English

  2. Chinese

  3. Sanskrit

  4. Japanese


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Sanskrit is a highly synthetic language, with many bound morphemes.

Ergative languages typically mark the:

  1. Subject of transitive verbs

  2. Object of transitive verbs

  3. Subject of intransitive verbs

  4. Object of intransitive verbs


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

In ergative languages, the subject of a transitive verb is marked with a special case, while the object is marked with the nominative case.

Which of the following is an example of a head-marking language?

  1. English

  2. Turkish

  3. Japanese

  4. Inuktitut


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Turkish is a head-marking language, meaning that grammatical information is marked on the head of a phrase, rather than on its dependents.

Language variation can be studied at different levels, including:

  1. Phonological

  2. Morphological

  3. Syntactic

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Language variation can be studied at all levels of linguistic analysis, from phonology to syntax.

Dialectal variation refers to:

  1. Differences in language use between different regions

  2. Differences in language use between different social groups

  3. Differences in language use between different generations

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Dialectal variation can be caused by a variety of factors, including geography, social class, and age.

Idiolect refers to:

  1. The unique way that an individual speaks

  2. The shared language of a community

  3. The standard form of a language

  4. None of the above


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Idiolect is the unique way that an individual speaks, including their pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.

Language change is:

  1. A gradual process that occurs over time

  2. A sudden and unpredictable event

  3. Both of the above

  4. None of the above


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Language change is a gradual process that occurs over time, as languages adapt to changing circumstances.

Which of the following is NOT a factor that can contribute to language change?

  1. Contact with other languages

  2. Social change

  3. Technological change

  4. Climate change


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Climate change is not typically considered a factor that can contribute to language change.

The process by which a language borrows words from another language is called:

  1. Loanword borrowing

  2. Code-switching

  3. Language contact

  4. Language convergence


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Loanword borrowing is the process by which a language adopts words from another language.

Pidgins and creoles are:

  1. Simplified languages that develop when two or more groups of people need to communicate

  2. Languages that are spoken by people who have been displaced from their homeland

  3. Languages that are spoken by people who have a hearing impairment

  4. None of the above


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Pidgins and creoles are simplified languages that develop when two or more groups of people need to communicate, but do not share a common language.

Language endangerment refers to:

  1. The process by which a language becomes extinct

  2. The process by which a language is revitalized

  3. The study of language variation

  4. None of the above


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Language endangerment refers to the process by which a language becomes extinct, typically due to the loss of speakers.

Language revitalization efforts aim to:

  1. Preserve and promote endangered languages

  2. Teach endangered languages to new speakers

  3. Document endangered languages for future generations

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Language revitalization efforts aim to preserve and promote endangered languages, teach them to new speakers, and document them for future generations.

The study of Typology and Language Variation is important because it helps us to:

  1. Understand the diversity of languages

  2. Identify universal features of language

  3. Trace the history of languages

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The study of Typology and Language Variation helps us to understand the diversity of languages, identify universal features of language, and trace the history of languages.

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