Ling midterm 2

The mystery of why a linguistic change happens at a particular moment in history, rather than earlier or later, is known as the...

actuation problem observer's paradox gender paradox embedding problem

Which of the following linguistic strategies do U.S. Latinos use in marking their ethnic identities?

speaking Spanish code-switching between Spanish and English speaking Chicano English all of the above

According to Stanford professor Cliff Nass, which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of the voice chosen for the American version of BMW's computer interface?

speaks relatively slowly sounds like a co-pilot younger than the average driver female but not overly feminine-sounding

Which of the following is the best example of "crossing"?

British actor Hugh Laurie speaking American English in his role as Dr. Gregory House. An African American man from inner-city Detroit speaking Standard English. A White teenager from the suburbs using African American English. A Latino man from East Los Angeles speaking African American English.

What does the difference model say about gender differences in language?

Gender differences in language reflect the different cultures in which men and women grow up. Gender differences in language reflect the unequal status of men and women in society. There are gender differences only in the languages of modern industrialized societies. There are no gender differences in language.

According to the film, what is the usual term for the English that was spoken in the slave quarters?

Gullah Pidgin English Plantation Creole

Which of the following is an advantage of a trend study over a panel study?

In a trend study, we know that any difference between older and younger speakers represents change in progress. In a trend study, we know that any difference between older and younger speakers represents age grading. In a trend study, we don't have to track down the same speakers from the original sample for the follow-up studies. None of the above.

According to Carmen Fought, which of the following is true of Chicano English?

It'd be more accurate to call it "Chicano Spanish," since it's more Spanish than English. It's the English of native Spanish speakers who don't speak English well. Many people who speak it speak virtually no Spanish. It's another term for Spanglish, i.e., Spanish-English code-switching.

What does Tannen say about the generalization that children prefer to play in same-sex groups?

It's not true -- it's just a stereotype. It's only true of children in the modern U.S. It's only true of children in Western industrialized societies. It's true of children in every culture that's been studied.

All of the following statements are true of dialects of English spoken by White Americans EXCEPT which one?

Many non-White speakers use them. They are more correct than other varieties. Most are regarded as examples of "Standard English." They tend to be "unmarked."

Which of the following is most consistent with the apparent time hypothesis? Speakers' language changes a lot during their lifetimes -- as they grow up and enter the workforce and later when they retire -- and we can study these changes by comparing the language of older and younger speakers at a single point in time. Speakers' language changes a lot during their lifetimes -- as they grow up and enter the workforce and later when they retire -- and we can study these changes by examining the language of a group of speakers at multiple points in time. Speakers' language does not change much during their lifetimes, so we can see language change in progress by comparing the language of older and younger speakers at a single point in time. Speakers' language does not change much during their lifetimes, so we can see change in progress by examining the language of a group of speakers at multiple points in time.

Speakers' language does not change much during their lifetimes, so we can see language change in progress by comparing the language of older and younger speakers at a single point in time.

According to the film, why don't men ask for directions?

They're determined to prove that their innate sense of direction works. They believe asking for directions would put them in a one-down position. They don't like talking to strangers. They're not actually lost -- women just think they're lost.

If a particular variant is more frequent in the English of younger members of a particular sociocultural group than in the English of older members of the same group, which of the following can we conclude?

This is a case of change in progress. This is a case of age grading. It is (a) and/or (b), but we can't know for sure without further research. None of the above.

Which of the following best describes the difference between variationist sociolinguistics and ethnographic sociolinguistics?

Variationist sociolinguistics involves gathering natural speech data from speakers, whereas ethnographic research is based on existing speech corpora. Variationist sociolinguistics studies change in apparent time whereas ethnographic sociolinguistics studies change in real time. Variationist sociolinguistics looks at the effects of region, age, gender, among other things, whereas ethnographic sociolinguistics focuses on the effects of ethnicity. Variationist sociolinguistics relates language variation to established sociocultural categories, whereas ethnographic sociolinguistics aims to learn which categories are relevant to different speakers.

Which of the following is true in Western industrialized societies but is NOT true in Malagasy society?

Women are politically subordinate to men. Women use less direct language than men. Children tend to play in same-sex groups. Men's ways of talking are more highly prized than women's.

Which of the following is NOT one of Lakoff's features of women's language?

Women end statements with rising intonation. Women avoid using strong profanity. Women talk more than men. Women use more standard language than men.

Which of the following is true according to the film? (they say i say)

Women say "sorry" more than men. Women apologize more than men. Both (a) and (b) Neither (a) nor (b)

Ethnic dialects of English exist for which of the following reasons?

a history of segregation in the U.S. influence of different ancestral languages speakers' desire to mark their ethnic identity all of the above

According to the film, when did many slaves begin speaking Pidgin English?

before they had left Africa during the trip from Africa to the U.S. within a few weeks of arriving in the U.S. within a few months of arriving in the U.S.

Style in sociolinguistics refers to which of the following?

between-speaker variation within-speaker variation covert prestige overt prestige

According to Steve Harvey, which of the following words is NOT in his vocabulary?

can't isn't won't ain't

There _____ be variation without change; there _____ be change without variation.

cannot; cannot cannot; can can; cannot can; can

According to Dr. Spears, who's interviewed in the film, what percentage of African Americans speak African American Vernacular English?

less than 50% at least 60-70% about 80% more than 90%

When a dialect changes toward the standard, _____ tend to lead the change, and when a dialect changes away from the standard, _____ tend to lead the change.

men, women women, men men, men women, women

A given linguistic form can perform __________ function; a given function can be performed by __________ linguistic form.

only one; more than one more than one; more than one only one; only one more than one; only one