English Language

Linguistics and Language Evolution

2,754 Questions

Linguistics and language evolution explores how languages develop, interact, and change over time. Questions focus on terminology related to extinct languages, multilingualism, and language dominance. This specialized topic is relevant for English language, literature, and linguistics sections of competitive exams.

Language extinction termsMultilingualism conceptsLanguage evolution processLinguistic dominance termsSanskrit language influence

Linguistics and Language Evolution Questions

Multiple choice
  1. Generative grammar

  2. Optimality Theory

  3. Cognitive linguistics

  4. Acquaintance

  5. Bootstrapping

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

In psycholinguistics, bootstrapping refers to the question of how language acquisition gets started. A child gradually acquires a great deal of interlocking knowledge about the structure and vocabulary of his or her language. It has sometimes been proposed that some specific type of linguistic knowledge can be acquired early, and that this enables the child to analyze words or sentences well enough to acquire further knowledge from them. Metaphorically, this early knowledge would serve as bootstraps by which the child pulls himself or herself up.

Multiple choice
  1. Lexical verbs

  2. Poison words

  3. Stop words

  4. Function words

  5. Content words

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Function words (or grammatical words or synsemantic words or structure-class words) are words that have little lexical meaning or have ambiguous meaning, but instead serve to express grammatical relationships with other words within a sentence, or specify the attitude or mood of the speaker.

Multiple choice
  1. Classificatory type

  2. Denotative type

  3. Description type

  4. Bifurcate merging type

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In a classificatory kinship system, different categories of relatives are grouped or merged under the same term. This contrasts with descriptive systems where each distinct relative has a unique term.

Multiple choice
  1. consistency

  2. familiarity

  3. syntax

  4. none of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Syntax refers to the set of rules that defines the combinations of symbols that are considered to be correctly structured documents or fragments in a language.

Multiple choice

What is the reaction of experts to this new English evolution? (Passage 1)

Answer the questions based on the following passage.
 
Passage 1

            ‘CU ltr’ If you are able to decipher this you will probably
            read ‘see you later’ in simple English. The growing trend of
            text messaging on our emails and cell communications has
            rung death knell for pure English. This reformed English has
(5)        done away with all spellings and grammatical fundamentals.
            The racing world wants instant communication which this
            new reformed English caters to and the whole world has
            lapped it up.
            We can hardly visualize the visages of rectified spellings,
(10)      adorning punctuation or polished grammar in our
            communication messages. This amended look of English
            has taken the instant chatter boxes within its stride. People
            have lost any regard for commas, full stops, and sentence
            or word formation. The verbal pronunciation of words has
(15)      been modified along with the sentence which seems to be
            interpreted in ‘Morse code’. This short cut communication is
            easy for the new zazzy genre but it’s difficult for the oldies to
            decode because it seems to be Latin or Greek for them.
            The slangs like plz, b’coz, axxident are difficult to associate
(20)      with. This informal non standard vocabulary comprising
            typically of coinages, arbitrarily changed words and extravagant
            and facetious figures of speech is not acceptable to the
            masters of English. Probably they feel this is the distortion of
            piousness of the subject. The well-read people don’t feel
(25)      elated if they have to use this short hand language, as they
            are comfortable with the originality of the language. But
            people with minimal English writing or verbal skills feel this
            to be a vital transition. Their motive is to pass their message
            irrespective of grammatical décor. They feel indulgence in
(30)      grammar checks as a waste of time. They ridicule the ones
            who try to be careful. The respectable English has lost its
            facet in the deal. The escapists who write English devoid
            of all ornamentation want to pass off their typing errors
            unnoticed by saying: this is the new English. These champions
(35)      of free style English smartly outdo the real English masters
            as outdated, because they are short of knowledge in slangs.
            It’s true that spoken English is less formal and free of
            grammatical check than one used in written correspondence
            but it should not outdo the originality of the language. The
(40)      conventions, softness and systematic style of the language
            should not be laxed. This growing trend should be
            immediately controlled otherwise the resumes would soon
            be peppered with this S.M.S language too. So, abbreviative
            style should no more hamper someone’s creativity in writing
(45)      skills.

Passage 2

            The British rule benefited Indians in only one way that the
            Indians got a sound intro to the most prestigious language
            of the world ‘English’. Many Indians today have mastered it
            and won international acclaim for their creative literature.
(5)        Globally, writers like ‘Arundhati Roy’ sold hundreds of
            thousands of copies of her book. English has intensified the
            prestige of many Indians like Shekhar Kapur. His English film
            ‘Elizabeth’ got many Oscar nominations.
            English has helped us interact with foreigners during our
(10)      commercial transactions. Our ambassadors, business
            entrepreneurs, trade managers, all have attained proficiency
            in this language and earned repute in their field of work.
            English, being the primary for all international communication,
            has become too vital for inter state commerce.
 (15)     Even the people across the country who were tied with their
            regional languages and felt short of words to interact with
            their countrymen have triumphed English and have
            enhanced their communication ability. Parliament too has
            acknowledged English as the official language, along with
(20)      Hindi our national language. Every institution insists on
            polishing it as one does one’s mother tongue.
            The will to learn English today is nurtured from the primary
            classes itself. There has been an outburst of demand to set
            up English medium schools in remote areas also. A language
(25)      is deterred if it poses threat to a regional language but not
            so with English. Indian languages are dwelling in their own
            domains as many use them for communication. English is
            like a historical legacy or increment to our own languages.
            English can open our door to the world as we can interact
(30)      with the people globally if we have a command on English.
            We are able to merge with the rest of the world.
            English is the medium which can broaden our horizons of
            knowledge and experience. Our view point can be put forth
            to the foreigners and we can confidently debate our point of
(35)      view. Many Indian spiritual gurus have foreign followers
            because with English they have expressed their ideas which
            have won many a foreign heart. Our culture and spirituality
            which earlier remained in bounds has gained an international
            identity.
(40)      Spoken English is not restricted to accent and pronunciation.
            It is mainly based on sharing experiences. So despite various
            verbal styles the originality stands. Though verbal speech
           differs globally, the standard written style is uniform.

  1. They feel elated at this new reform.

  2. They are surprised by the decomposition of their language and feel it to be pure distortion.

  3. They are at ease with this adaptation.

  4. They call it the language of the masses.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Lines 23 - 24: “Probably they feel this is the distortion of piousness of the subject”.

Multiple choice history medieval europe - rise and spread of christianity rise and spread of christianity renaissance in europe the classical world

Which of these does NOT describe the use of language in post-Rome Europe during the 500-1000 C.E. period?

  1. Latin continued to be an official language, although it was rarely understood by commoners.

  2. French, Spanish and Portuguese developed as Latin-based languages.

  3. English became the common language used throughout Western Europe.

  4. German-speaking people mixed with the Latin-based language groups to create new languages.

  5. The development of various languages showed the continued breakup of the Roman Empire.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Multiple choice biology classification of living organisms binomial nomenclature nomenclature of organisms naming of the organisms nomenclature in classification

Which of the following gives benefit to using the common name in different countries?

  1. Vernacular name

  2. Tautonyms

  3. Binomial nomenclature

  4. None of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The binomial nomenclature is the use of the genus and species name system for describing all the living organisms. The method is beneficial as it prevents confusion in the names used in different places and makes it easy that one organism is known by the same name throughout the world. 

Thus, the correct answer is option C.  

Multiple choice evs we are special defects of eye disorders of nervous system braille script

What is sign language?

  1. Making gestures with out speaking

  2. Language written on paper

  3. Language which we speak

  4. All of above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sign language is represent by making gestures without speaking. This language cannot be written or spoken. Normally this language is used for people who cannot speak or listen.

Multiple choice
  1. language clusters

  2. language groups

  3. language famlies

  4. all of the above

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A language family is a group of languages related through descent from a common ancestral language, often referred to as a protolanguage. For example, the Indo-European family includes languages ranging from Spanish to Hindi. Language groups and clusters are smaller subdivisions within these larger families.