Geography ยท General Awareness

World Languages and Geography

2,320 Questions

World languages and geography explore the distribution of major language families, official languages, and native speakers across different continents. The questions cover linguistic demographics in Africa, Europe, and the Americas. This topic is frequently asked in UPSC, SSC, and State PSC general studies papers.

Official languagesLanguage familiesWidely spoken languagesRegional languagesLinguistic geography

World Languages and Geography Questions

Multiple choice

Which classical language was the primary language of science in the 19th century?

  1. Latin

  2. Greek

  3. Sanskrit

  4. German
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the 19th century, German was the primary language of science. Many important scientific works were written in German, and German terms were adopted into other languages, including English and French.

Multiple choice

Which Tibeto-Burman language is spoken in Nagaland, India?

  1. Ao

  2. Angami

  3. Sema

  4. Lotha
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Ao is the Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Nagaland, India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT an example of bilingual borrowing?

  1. Spanglish

  2. Franglais

  3. Chinglish

  4. Standard English
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Spanglish, Franglais, and Chinglish are all examples of bilingual borrowing. Standard English is not an example of bilingual borrowing.

Multiple choice

What was the official language of the French Empire?

  1. French

  2. English

  3. Spanish

  4. German
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

French was the official language of the French Empire.

Multiple choice

What is the approximate number of endangered languages in Myanmar?

  1. 10

  2. 20

  3. 30

  4. 40
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

There are approximately 30 endangered languages in Myanmar, according to various estimates.

Multiple choice

Which of the following factors is contributing to the endangerment of languages in Myanmar?

  1. Lack of speakers

  2. Assimilation

  3. Language shift

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

All of the mentioned factors are contributing to the endangerment of languages in Myanmar. Lack of speakers, assimilation, and language shift are major threats to the survival of these languages.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the majority of the population in Afghanistan?

  1. Dari

  2. Pashto

  3. Uzbek

  4. Tajik
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Dari is the official language of Afghanistan and is spoken by around 50% of the population. Pashto is the second most widely spoken language in the country.

Multiple choice

Which of these languages is considered a dead language?

  1. Latin

  2. English

  3. Spanish

  4. Mandarin
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Latin is a dead language, meaning it is no longer spoken as a native language by any population.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the ancient language spoken by the people of Mesopotamia?

  1. Sumerian

  2. Akkadian

  3. Babylonian

  4. Assyrian
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sumerian was the language spoken in ancient Mesopotamia.

Multiple choice

Which dead language is known for its use of the Rongo-Rongo script?

  1. Rapa Nui

  2. Hawaiian

  3. Tahitian

  4. Marquesan
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Rapa Nui, an ancient Polynesian language, was written using the Rongo-Rongo script.

Multiple choice

Which language is the official language of Afghanistan?

  1. Dari

  2. Pashto

  3. Uzbek

  4. Turkmen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Dari is the official language of Afghanistan, along with Pashto.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a common approach used in the documentation of West Indian languages?

  1. Conducting interviews with native speakers

  2. Analyzing historical texts and documents

  3. Using computational tools for language analysis

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Documentation of West Indian languages involves a combination of approaches, including conducting interviews with native speakers, analyzing historical texts and documents, and utilizing computational tools for language analysis. These methods help researchers gather data, analyze linguistic patterns, and create comprehensive records of the languages.

Multiple choice

What is the official language of Jamaica?

  1. English

  2. Patois

  3. Spanish

  4. French
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

English is the official language of Jamaica.

Multiple choice

What is the largest immigrant group in Spain?

  1. Moroccans

  2. Romanians

  3. Colombians

  4. Ecuadorians
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Moroccans are the largest immigrant group in Spain, with a population of over 1 million.

Multiple choice

What is the official language of Mauritius?

  1. French

  2. English

  3. Creole

  4. Hindi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

English is the official language of Mauritius, a legacy of British colonial rule. However, Creole, a French-based language, is widely spoken and serves as a lingua franca among the Mauritian population.