Q.1 What is the primary focus of linguistic anthropology?
The structure of DNA
The evolution of language
The study of ancient artifacts
The formation of governments
Explanation - Linguistic anthropology studies how language influences social life, including its development, variation, and cultural significance.
Correct answer is: The evolution of language
Q.2 Which branch of anthropology deals with the relationship between language and culture?
Physical anthropology
Linguistic anthropology
Cultural anthropology
Archaeology
Explanation - Linguistic anthropology focuses on how language shapes culture and society, and how it reflects cultural practices.
Correct answer is: Linguistic anthropology
Q.3 The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis suggests that:
Language determines thought
Language is unrelated to culture
All languages are identical
Language is biologically inherited
Explanation - The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis proposes that the structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview and cognition.
Correct answer is: Language determines thought
Q.4 Which of the following is an example of code-switching?
Using slang words
Changing from English to Spanish mid-conversation
Inventing new words
Mispronouncing a word
Explanation - Code-switching refers to alternating between two or more languages or dialects within a single conversation.
Correct answer is: Changing from English to Spanish mid-conversation
Q.5 What do linguistic anthropologists call a variation of a language associated with a particular region?
Accent
Dialect
Register
Creole
Explanation - A dialect is a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary.
Correct answer is: Dialect
Q.6 Which of the following best defines ‘speech community’?
A group that shares the same religion
A group that shares the same language norms
A group of people living in the same village
A group that shares the same ancestry
Explanation - A speech community is defined as a group of people who share rules and norms for language use.
Correct answer is: A group that shares the same language norms
Q.7 What is ethnography of communication?
The study of animal sounds
The study of grammar
The study of communication in cultural context
The study of old languages
Explanation - Ethnography of communication explores how language is used in social and cultural practices.
Correct answer is: The study of communication in cultural context
Q.8 Which term describes a simplified language that develops between groups without a common language?
Pidgin
Dialect
Creole
Jargon
Explanation - A pidgin is a simplified language that arises as a means of communication between speakers of different native languages.
Correct answer is: Pidgin
Q.9 When a pidgin becomes a fully developed language passed on to new generations, it is called:
Dialect
Creole
Slang
Register
Explanation - A creole develops when a pidgin stabilizes and becomes a native language for a community.
Correct answer is: Creole
Q.10 What is paralanguage?
The study of body language
The non-verbal elements of speech such as tone and pitch
The grammatical rules of a language
The study of written scripts
Explanation - Paralanguage refers to vocal features like intonation, pitch, and volume that accompany speech and affect meaning.
Correct answer is: The non-verbal elements of speech such as tone and pitch
Q.11 Which of these is an example of non-verbal communication studied in linguistic anthropology?
Grammar
Gesture
Vocabulary
Syntax
Explanation - Gestures are a form of non-verbal communication and an important area of study in linguistic anthropology.
Correct answer is: Gesture
Q.12 Which subfield of anthropology does linguistic anthropology most closely overlap with?
Cultural anthropology
Biological anthropology
Archaeology
Forensic anthropology
Explanation - Linguistic anthropology is closely linked with cultural anthropology since both deal with cultural practices and meanings.
Correct answer is: Cultural anthropology
Q.13 Which anthropologist is closely associated with the study of Native American languages?
Bronisław Malinowski
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Franz Boas
Lewis Binford
Explanation - Franz Boas, the father of American anthropology, studied Native American languages extensively.
Correct answer is: Franz Boas
Q.14 What is sociolinguistics most concerned with?
How languages evolve
How language relates to social factors
How to translate texts
How language is stored in the brain
Explanation - Sociolinguistics examines the relationship between language and social variables such as class, gender, and age.
Correct answer is: How language relates to social factors
Q.15 Which of the following is an example of a register?
Formal academic speech
A regional dialect
A creole language
A slang word
Explanation - Register refers to the level of formality or style of speech depending on the social situation.
Correct answer is: Formal academic speech
Q.16 What is language revitalization?
Inventing new words
Reviving endangered or extinct languages
Learning a second language
Simplifying grammar rules
Explanation - Language revitalization refers to efforts to revive and promote languages that are at risk of extinction.
Correct answer is: Reviving endangered or extinct languages
Q.17 Which linguistic term refers to the smallest unit of sound that can change meaning?
Morpheme
Phoneme
Lexeme
Syntax
Explanation - Phonemes are the smallest sound units in a language that can distinguish meaning (e.g., 'bat' vs. 'pat').
Correct answer is: Phoneme
Q.18 Which term describes the smallest unit of meaning in a language?
Phoneme
Morpheme
Syllable
Syntax
Explanation - A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit in a language, like 'un-' or '-ed'.
Correct answer is: Morpheme
Q.19 Who is known as the father of structural linguistics?
Noam Chomsky
Ferdinand de Saussure
Edward Sapir
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Explanation - Ferdinand de Saussure is considered the founder of structural linguistics, which influenced linguistic anthropology.
Correct answer is: Ferdinand de Saussure
Q.20 What is the study of meaning in language called?
Phonology
Morphology
Semantics
Syntax
Explanation - Semantics focuses on the meanings of words, phrases, and sentences.
Correct answer is: Semantics
Q.21 Pragmatics in linguistics deals with:
The sounds of speech
Word formation
The social use of language
Sentence structure
Explanation - Pragmatics studies how context influences the interpretation of meaning in communication.
Correct answer is: The social use of language
Q.22 Which of the following is an endangered language?
Mandarin Chinese
English
Hawaiian
Spanish
Explanation - Hawaiian is considered endangered, with revitalization efforts underway to preserve it.
Correct answer is: Hawaiian
Q.23 What is the field that studies how children acquire language?
Psycholinguistics
Sociolinguistics
Ethnolinguistics
Comparative linguistics
Explanation - Psycholinguistics explores the psychological and cognitive processes involved in language acquisition.
Correct answer is: Psycholinguistics
Q.24 What is linguistic relativity?
The belief all languages are equal in complexity
The idea that language influences thought
The process of learning multiple languages
The history of language families
Explanation - Linguistic relativity suggests that speakers of different languages perceive the world differently due to their language.
Correct answer is: The idea that language influences thought
Q.25 Which linguistic field compares similarities and differences between languages to find common ancestry?
Comparative linguistics
Sociolinguistics
Phonetics
Pragmatics
Explanation - Comparative linguistics studies language families and historical relationships between languages.
Correct answer is: Comparative linguistics