Deck 5: Language: Barrier and Bridge

Question 1

You ask for a small piece of cake but get a piece twice as large as you expected.What caused this semantic problem?

A) equivocal words
B) euphemisms
C) relative words
D) semantic discordance

Answer 1

C

Question 2

You promise to complete a policing report for your boss "soon" and your boss gets mad when you don't complete it that day.You originally meant "soon" to be the end of the week.What caused this semantic problem?

A) equivocal words
B) euphemisms
C) relative words
D) semantic discordance

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which term refers to a range of more to less abstract terms describing an event or object?

A) abstract language
B) abstraction ladder
C) abstraction evaluation
D) abstract words

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following is the least abstract definition of a successful college experience?

A) the ability to contribute to society
B) a better understanding of Western civilization
C) completion of the requirements listed on page 24 of the college catalogue with an average of 75 percent or higher
D) the ability to express oneself clearly, understand principles of the arts and sciences, and have some expertise in a chosen field of study

Question 5

How can a person clarify misunderstandings that revolve around emotive,equivocal,and relative language?

A) Use clearer punctuation of perceptual events.
B) Replace abstract terms with concrete ones.
C) Confine communication to static definitions.
D) Use more interpersonal and less impersonal communication.

Question 6

Which term refers to words that have more than one dictionary definition?

A) equivocal words
B) euphemisms
C) relative words
D) semantic equivalents

Question 7

What are "piece" and "peace" an example of?

A) equivocal words
B) relative words
C) euphemisms
D) semantic rules

Question 8

Which term refers to the tendency to view people or relationships as unchanging?

A) static evaluation
B) emotive language
C) semantics
D) euphemistic language

Question 9

What are equivocal words?

A) low-level abstractions
B) words that mean the same thing to most people
C) words that have more than one commonly accepted definition
D) words with meanings that are not modified by the accompanying nonverbal behaviour

Question 10

Which of the following is the highest-level abstraction?

A) complaining about chores
B) complaining about my housekeeping
C) reminding me to wash the dishes
D) reminding me about chores I haven't done

Question 11

Which of the following is the least abstract?

A) giving me more time
B) paying attention to me every day
C) letting me know you appreciate me
D) saying "thanks" when I help with your work

Question 12

Which idea is a result of the study of semantics?

A) Words have rich meaning in and of themselves.
B) Words typically can be interpreted in only one way.
C) Meanings rest more in words than in the people who use them.
D) The meanings of words come primarily from the people who use them.

Question 13

Which concept does the "A Philosopher's View of Love" reading in the text address?

A) culture and language
B) responsibility in language
C) semantics
D) syntactics

Question 14

What is a reason for semantic misunderstandings?

A) poor grammar by the sender
B) sloppy encoding by the sender
C) using words that have more than one commonly accepted definition
D) using complicated language

Question 15

Which of the following is the highest-level abstraction?

A) farmer
B) human being
C) man
D) wheat farmer

Question 16

Which statement best exemplifies highly abstract language?

A) "You can play tennis!"
B) "John is a loyal person."
C) "Turn to page 116 and do the exercise at the bottom of the page."
D) "My car wouldn't start this morning; I wish I had never bought it."

Question 17

Which of the following is the least abstract?

A) Chevy
B) 1986 Chevy Nova
C) blue Chevy
D) reliable car

Question 18

Which term refers to words that gain their meaning through comparison?

A) equivocal words
B) euphemisms
C) semantic discordance
D) relative words

Question 19

What semantic problem can be caused by statements such as "Frank is a responsible nurse"?

A) emotive language
B) equivocation
C) euphemistic language
D) static evaluation

Question 20

Which rule governs the meaning of language,as opposed to its structure?

A) equivocal words
B) semantic rules
C) relative language
D) abstract language

Question 21

Clay has moved to a new school.He starts using slang that other students are using even though these are words he normally doesn't use.What is Clay experiencing?

A) divergence
B) convergence
C) using differential language
D) using disruptive language

Question 22

"Canadians love hockey." What is this statement an example of?

A) confusing self-talk
B) equivocation
C) self-fulfilling prophecy
D) stereotyping

Question 23

Which statement best illustrates stereotyping?

A) Old people get dementia.
B) Women comprise less than 10 percent of that population.
C) Disabled workers claim over $1 million per year in benefits.
D) Forty percent of the wealthiest people in the U.S. give 20 percent of their income to charity.

Question 24

What is one semantic problem that is common in our language?

A) It is abstract.
B) It is lacking emotion.
C) It is specific.
D) It is wordy.

Question 25

"Excuse me.I have to work in the morning.Would you mind turning down the music just a little?" What form of deferential language is this?

A) an intensifier
B) a hedge
C) a hesitation
D) a polite form

Question 26

"I,uh,think I'd be a little calmer if you could stop driving so fast,okay?" How could this statement be more powerful?

A) Eliminate the disclaimer.
B) Eliminate the intensifiers.
C) Eliminate the polite form.
D) Eliminate the hedge.

Question 27

What type of language rule does the statement "here the drink bring" violate?

A) pragmatic
B) semantic
C) sequential
D) syntactic

Question 28

"Marjorie is a cripple." Why is this statement problematic?

A) It is abstract.
B) It makes Katie's disease her identity.
C) Not everyone has a clear understanding of the term "diabetic."
D) Katie doesn't have diabetes.

Question 29

Aiden is a teen who has recently started to use slang that his parents don't fully understand.He also complains that his parents speak like they are "from a different planet." What linguistic strategy is Aiden using?

A) convergence
B) differentiation
C) divergence
D) stereotyping

Question 30

Which rule of language do we rely on to distinguish a speaker's intention when we encounter unclear statements?

A) ambiguous
B) equivocal
C) pragmatic
D) syntactic

Question 31

What do people who practise convergence in their speech hope to achieve?

A) affiliation and acceptance with a group
B) agreement on a critical issue
C) resolution of a conflict
D) unity within a group

Question 32

"You probably won't agree but no one should be working on Labour Day." What form of deferential language does this statement contain?

A) a disclaimer
B) a hedge
C) a hesitation
D) a polite form

Question 33

Which term refers to using speech mannerisms that emphasize a communicator's differences from others?

A) convergence
B) divergence
C) differentiation
D) accommodation

Question 34

What do the syntactic rules of language govern?

A) the words that become slang
B) the way that semanticists create meaning
C) the ways in which symbols can be arranged
D) the ways in which speakers respond to symbols

Question 35

Which rule governs the way symbols can be arranged,as opposed to the meanings of those symbols?

A) pragmatic rules
B) semantic rules
C) sequential rules
D) syntactic rules

Question 36

"Don't you think we should give it another try?" What form of deferential language does this statement contain?

A) a disclaimer
B) a hedge
C) a hesitation
D) a tag question

Question 37

What is the process of adapting one's speech style to match that of others with whom the communicator wants to identify?

A) convergence
B) divergence
C) differentiation
D) accommodation

Question 38

"I'm really excited to see you." What form of deferential language does this statement contain?

A) an intensifier
B) a hedge
C) a hesitation
D) a polite form

Question 39

Which of the following is a language style in which speakers defer to listeners by using hedges,hesitations,intensifiers,polite forms,tag questions,and disclaimers?

A) deferential
B) convergence
C) divergence
D) disruptive

Question 40

"Judges always favour women." What is this statement an example of?

A) directness
B) self-confusion
C) self-fulfilling prophecy
D) stereotyping

Question 41

"I was so excited when you invited me to lunch!" What is missing from this "I" statement?

A) a description of the other person's behaviour
B) a description of the speaker's feelings
C) a description of the consequences that the other person's behaviour has for the speaker
D) a description of the speaker's interpretation of the other person's behaviour

Question 42

According to Reid's research study on women living in poverty,what is a major reason for the exclusion of these women society?

A) their lack of adequate income
B) their lack of communication skills
C) the use of emotive labels in reference to them
D) the consuming demands on them as single mothers

Question 43

Which statement is an inference?

A) "You didn't call me yesterday."
B) "You don't care about me"
C) "You are late."
D) "Thanks for agreeing to babysit."

Question 44

What is likely to happen when a people use language that is too powerful?

A) They may get what they are seeking in the long term.
B) They may alienate the other person in the relationship.
C) They may strengthen their relationship with the other person.
D) They may enhance their communicative effectiveness.

Question 45

In the "'I' and 'You' Language on the Job" communication transcript in your text,what was Rebecca able to accomplish in her confrontation with Tom?

A) She got a commitment from him to not leave the office as frequently.
B) She got a commitment from him to tell her how long he would be away each time he left the office.
C) She let him know how she felt about his absences without attacking him.
D) She was able to work out a schedule that allowed them both to be away from the office at different times.

Question 46

"Thanks to you,I can't go to the beach since you were my ride.That makes me angry!" What is missing from this "I" statement?

A) a description of the other person's behaviour
B) a description of the speaker's feelings
C) a description of the consequences that the other person's behaviour has for the speaker
D) a description of the speaker's interpretation of the other person's behaviour

Question 47

"When you didn't let me know you weren't coming to the planning meeting,I felt that you weren't interested in providing input and that forced me to go ahead without you." What is missing from this "I" statement?

A) a description of the other person's behaviour
B) a description of the speaker's feelings
C) a description of the consequences that the other person's behaviour has for the speaker
D) a description of the speaker's interpretation of the other person's behaviour

Question 48

Which of the following indicates a speaker's willingness to take responsibility for his/her thoughts or feelings?

A) "I" vs. "we" or "you"
B) "it" vs. "his"
C) "his" or "her" vs. "their"
D) singular vs. plural terms

Question 49

Which statement contains a hedge?

A) "Well, we could go to the park."
B) "I would sort of like to go to the park."
C) "Going to the park wouldn't be a bad idea, would it?"
D) "My heart's not set on it, but we could go to the park."

Question 50

Which term refers to language that appears to describe something but really announces the speaker's positive or negative attitude toward it?

A) inference
B) irresponsible language
C) emotive language
D) deferential language

Question 51

You think Steve,a personal trainer at the gym,is "arrogant." Your friend thinks he has a lot of "self-confidence." What is the cause of your disagreement about Steve?

A) emotive language
B) linguistic determinism
C) punctuation
D) relative terms

Question 52

In which of the following statements is the use of a "we" statement most appropriate?

A) "We have a problem here."
B) "What are we going to do about this issue?"
C) "We aren't doing a very good job of keeping the place clean, are we?"
D) "I think that we need to talk to Stephanie.'

Question 53

"When you left without saying where you were going,I felt confused and so I went to the park on my own." What is missing from this "I" statement?

A) a description of the other person's behaviour
B) a description of the speaker's feelings
C) a description of the consequences that the other person's behaviour has for the speaker
D) a description of the speaker's interpretation of the other person's behaviour

Question 54

When is making an inference a reasonable thing to do in interpersonal communication?

A) when the other person understands you
B) when you wait for the other to infer also
C) when you identify the inference to the other person
D) when you first describe the fact that led to the inference

Question 55

Which of the following most successfully changes the statement "You are a slob" into an "I" statement?

A) "I need you to do more work around here; I do more than my share."
B) "I have to do the dishes since you never do and I'm getting tired of it."
C) "I am frustrated because you never do the dishes. It seems like you don't want to help."
D) "I get mad when you leave the dishes and then I have to do them. It seems like you don't care about the apartment."

Question 56

On the strength of a recommendation from one of your friends,you took a class from a policing instructor that your friend had described as "witty and bright with a great sense of humour." You find the instructor disgusting and boorish because of his inappropriate jokes.Why were you a victim of this misunderstanding?

A) emotive language
B) exaggeration
C) euphemistic language
D) linguistic divergence

Question 57

I often refer to my three colleagues as "an uptight team." What am I using that might cause a misunderstanding?

A) emotive words
B) equivocal words
C) euphemisms
D) pragmatic wording

Question 58

Which term refers to conclusions that are arrived at from an interpretation of evidence?

A) inferences
B) emotive language
C) deferential language
D) powerful language

Question 59

Which statement is really a fact?

A) "You shouldn't have said that."
B) "I heard you say you weren't interested."
C) "Fact number one: you are stupid."
D) "It's a fact that using the tone of voice you did always backfires."

Question 60

What must an "I" statement contain?

A) a description of the other person's feelings
B) a description of the other person's behaviour
C) the consequences of the speaker's behaviour
D) supportive comments about the other person

Question 61

English-speaking visitors to the Arctic see just a lot of snow and ice.The Inuit,however,see many different substances because they have many different words for snow depending on its different consistency and usefulness.What is this an example of?

A) cognitive complexity
B) perspective-taking
C) Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
D) social relativism

Question 62

What is a common feature of the Arabic language?

A) direct and succinct speech
B) clear affirmations and rejections
C) strong assertions and exaggerations
D) ideas are stated once and rarely repeated

Question 63

Which of the following is the problem with "you" language?

A) They are always negative.
B) They attribute ownership to some unidentified source.
C) They are unclear.
D) They imply a judgment of another person.

Question 64

According to your text,which statement best describes the idea of maleness as a standard?

A) Businesses prefer to hire men over women as their standard hiring practice.
B) A popular television show highlights "woman doctors" as opposed to simply "doctors"
C) Men as a standard hold more power than women in society.
D) In some occupations, it is standard that they are dominated by men.

Question 65

What characteristic is present in cultures that prize succinctness in language?

A) Silence is valued.
B) Vocabulary is limited.
C) Verbal fluency is admired.
D) More than one language is spoken.

Question 66

Which statement demonstrates the non-sexist practice of "avoiding the generic pronoun?"

A) Green energy is good for humanity.
B) Letter carriers do their work rain or shine.
C) A good police officer always gets his man.
D) Male nurses have been expanding in number.

Question 67

Which term refers to the idea that a culture is unavoidably shaped and reflected by the language its members speak?

A) high-context culture
B) low-context culture
C) cultural determinism
D) linguistic determinism

Question 68

Which statement best describes cultures that stress formality in language?

A) People talk less.
B) There are fewer close relationships.
C) Language use defines social position.
D) Using correct grammar is most important.

Question 69

Which statement best summarizes the problem with "but" statements?

A) They are always positive.
B) They are unclear.
C) They cancel out the thought that proceeds it.
D) They blame the other person.

Question 70

Which statement best summarizes the problem with "it" statements?

A) They are always positive.
B) They attribute ownership to some unidentified source.
C) They are unclear.
D) They blame the other person.

Question 71

Language is symbolic.

Question 72

What is Canada's third most frequently spoken mother tongue?

A) Chinese
B) French
C) German
D) Spanish

Question 73

How are men's and women's use of language similar?

A) They both talk about similar topics.
B) They both use about the same level of direct speech.
C) They both speak about the same number of words each day.
D) They both use about the same amount of supportive comments.

Question 74

What is an example of man-linked language?

A) men's washroom
B) TV shows targeted towards men
C) marketing materials that use language that attracts men
D) fireman

Question 75

Why is using low-level abstractions be helpful?

A) They are clear and concise.
B) They bring confrontation with others to a head.
C) They let us talk about the differences between several objects or events.
D) Abstractions are rarely helpful.

Question 76

Which of the following will you find in a low-context language culture?

A) much use of silence
B) much self-expression
C) indirect expression of opinions
D) less reliance on explicit verbal messages

Question 77

Which of the following terms is sexist or exclusive?

A) chairman
B) flight attendant
C) police officer
D) menswear clerk

Question 78

How do men and women's conversational styles differ?

A) Men ask more questions.
B) Men's speech is more direct.
C) Men use more contradictions.
D) Women use more judgmental language.

Question 79

What is the main idea communicated by the term linguistic relativism?

A) Language is relative.
B) Everything we talk about is relative.
C) Language strongly influences perceptions.
D) Culture determines the type of language it uses.

Question 80

What percentage of people in Canada has neither English nor French as their mother tongue?

A) 2
B) 12
C) 20
D) 28