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Dead Languages: Understanding the Significance of Extinct Tongues

Description: Explore the fascinating world of dead languages and uncover their significance in shaping history, culture, and linguistics.
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: ancient languages extinct tongues historical linguistics cultural heritage
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Which ancient language was spoken in Mesopotamia and is considered one of the earliest forms of written communication?

  1. Sumerian

  2. Akkadian

  3. Babylonian

  4. Assyrian


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Sumerian, a language isolate, was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia and is regarded as one of the earliest written languages, dating back to around 3500 BCE.

What is the name of the ancient Egyptian writing system that combines hieroglyphs, hieratic, and demotic scripts?

  1. Cuneiform

  2. Hieroglyphics

  3. Phoenician

  4. Brahmi


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, a complex writing system, comprised three scripts: hieroglyphic, hieratic, and demotic, each serving different purposes and evolving over time.

Which extinct language was spoken by the ancient Romans and is the root of many modern Romance languages?

  1. Greek

  2. Latin

  3. Sanskrit

  4. Old English


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Latin, the language of the ancient Roman Empire, is an extinct Indo-European language that gave rise to many modern Romance languages, including Italian, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

What is the name of the ancient language spoken in the Indus Valley Civilization, whose script remains largely undeciphered?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Tamil

  3. Indus Script

  4. Vedic


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The Indus Script, also known as the Harappan Script, is an ancient writing system used in the Indus Valley Civilization. Despite extensive research, it remains largely undeciphered, leaving many aspects of this ancient civilization shrouded in mystery.

Which extinct language was spoken by the ancient Greeks and is known for its rich literature, philosophy, and drama?

  1. Latin

  2. Sanskrit

  3. Ancient Greek

  4. Old Norse


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Ancient Greek, spoken in ancient Greece, is an extinct Indo-European language that played a pivotal role in Western civilization. It is renowned for its extensive literature, philosophical works, and dramatic plays.

What is the name of the extinct language spoken by the ancient Persians and is closely related to Sanskrit?

  1. Avestan

  2. Old Persian

  3. Pahlavi

  4. Sogdian


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Avestan, an extinct Iranian language, was spoken in ancient Persia and is closely related to Sanskrit. It is primarily known through the Avesta, a collection of sacred Zoroastrian texts.

Which extinct language was spoken in ancient India and is the ancestor of many modern Indo-Aryan languages?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Prakrit

  3. Pali

  4. Tamil


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language, is the ancestor of many modern Indo-Aryan languages spoken in South Asia. It is known for its rich literature, including the Vedas, Upanishads, and epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

What is the name of the extinct language spoken by the ancient Mayans and is known for its intricate writing system?

  1. Nahuatl

  2. Quechua

  3. Maya

  4. Incan


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The Maya language, spoken by the ancient Maya civilization, is an extinct Mayan language. It is known for its complex writing system, which includes logograms and syllabic characters.

Which extinct language was spoken by the ancient Aztecs and is known for its extensive use of pictographs?

  1. Nahuatl

  2. Quechua

  3. Maya

  4. Incan


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Nahuatl, spoken by the ancient Aztecs, is an extinct Uto-Aztecan language. It is known for its extensive use of pictographs, which were used to represent words and concepts in their writing system.

What is the name of the extinct language spoken by the ancient Incas and is known for its use of quipus, a knotted string recording system?

  1. Nahuatl

  2. Quechua

  3. Maya

  4. Incan


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Quechua, spoken by the ancient Incas, is an extinct Quechuan language. It is known for its use of quipus, a system of knotted strings used for recording information and conveying messages.

Which extinct language was spoken by the ancient Babylonians and is known for its extensive use of cuneiform script?

  1. Sumerian

  2. Akkadian

  3. Babylonian

  4. Assyrian


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Akkadian, spoken by the ancient Babylonians, is an extinct Semitic language. It is known for its extensive use of cuneiform script, one of the earliest forms of writing.

What is the name of the extinct language spoken by the ancient Assyrians and is closely related to Akkadian?

  1. Sumerian

  2. Akkadian

  3. Babylonian

  4. Assyrian


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Assyrian, spoken by the ancient Assyrians, is an extinct Semitic language closely related to Akkadian. It was widely used in the Assyrian Empire and played a significant role in the history of Mesopotamia.

Which extinct language was spoken by the ancient Hittites and is known for its complex hieroglyphic writing system?

  1. Hittite

  2. Luwian

  3. Palaic

  4. Hurrian


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Hittite, spoken by the ancient Hittites, is an extinct Indo-European language. It is known for its complex hieroglyphic writing system, which was used for both monumental inscriptions and everyday communication.

What is the name of the extinct language spoken by the ancient Egyptians and is known for its use of hieroglyphs?

  1. Ancient Egyptian

  2. Coptic

  3. Demotic

  4. Hieratic


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Ancient Egyptian, spoken by the ancient Egyptians, is an extinct Afro-Asiatic language. It is known for its use of hieroglyphs, a writing system that combines logograms, syllabic characters, and alphabetic signs.

Which extinct language was spoken by the ancient Etruscans and is known for its unique alphabet?

  1. Etruscan

  2. Latin

  3. Greek

  4. Phoenician


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Etruscan, spoken by the ancient Etruscans, is an extinct Tyrsenian language. It is known for its unique alphabet, which was adopted and adapted by the Romans to form the Latin alphabet.

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