Deck 7: Verbal Communication and Culture

Question 1

Which of the following statement is TRUE regarding Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

A) We think in the words and the meanings of our language which in turn is an expression of our culture.
B) All human languages share a universal grammar that is innate in the human species and culturally invariant.
C) People of one culture cannot think of objects for which another culture has plentiful vocabulary.
D) One of the most remarkable features of any language's rule structure is that it allows the speaker to generate sentences that have never before been spoken.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

To translate 'democracy' or 'freedom' from one language into another may cause problems because different cultures may interpret them differently. Which type of translation problem does this example illustrate?

A) conceptual equivalence
B) experiential equivalence
C) idiomatic equivalence
D) vocabulary equivalence

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Scholars argue that all human languages share universal characteristics. Which of the following is NOT a universal characteristic of all languages?

A) All languages have some way of stating the negatives and constructing interrogatives.
B) There is no natural relationship between any word and its referent.
C) All languages have some way of differentiating between singular and plural.
D) There is an inherent relationship between the sounds and their accompanying alphabet.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Language has different components. Which of the following is concerned with how sounds are organized in a language?

A) semantics
B) morphology
C) syntax
D) phonology

Question 5

When cultures with no shared language came into contact, such as through international trade or during colonialism, one way to communicate was through the development of pidgins and creoles. Which of the following best distinguishes pidgins from creoles?

A) Pidgins are used by women and creoles are used by men.
B) Pidgins tend to last longer in history than creoles.
C) Pidgins can be thought of as a second language whereas creoles can be acquired as first language.
D) Pidgins are used by tradesmen whereas creoles are used by politicians.

Question 6

Norm Chomsky claims that human languages share a universal grammar. Which of the following characterizes the universal grammar?

A) It is innate in the human species and culturally variant.
B) It is innate in the human species and culturally invariant.
C) Speakers can only generate sentences they have heard before.
D) Speakers of any language can create a finite number of sentences.

Question 7

Which of the following communication styles is more likely to be associated with collectivistic cultures?

A) indirect
B) elaborate
C) personal
D) instrumental

Question 8

Linguists and social psychologists identify two types of meaning: denotative and connotative. Which of the following statements best describes denotation?

A) the translated meaning of a word
B) the literal meaning of a word
C) the cultural meanings of a word
D) the guessed meaning of a word

Question 9

Ethnolinguistic vitality is a term used by linguists who study the relationship between language and identity. Which of the following statements best describes ethnolinguistic vitality?

A) the degree to which a language is considered 'safe'
B) the degree of acceptability and importance associated with a language
C) the number of speakers of a language compared to other languages
D) the extent to which a language allows for descriptive, elaborate usage

Question 10

de Saussure used the term signifier and signified in his theory of structural linguistics. Which of the following statements represents a signifier?

A) a word or an image that represents something
B) the meaning associated with the word
C) the relationship between the word and its referent
D) a word and its pronunciation

Question 11

Gender-neutral language is a result of language reforms in universities in the 1970s. Which of the following is an alternative term for it?

A) discriminatory language
B) gender-inclusive language
C) sexist language
D) exclusive language

Question 12

Which of the following statements best describes the elaborate style of communication?

A) the use of rich, expressive and embellished language in everyday conversations
B) the use of racist and sexist language
C) This is purely goal-oriented communication style.
D) strictly reserved for personal/private communication

Question 13

Define structural linguistics, and provide examples to illustrate its application.

Question 14

What is Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, and what its theoretical claims?

Question 15

Define the concept of 'discourse' and explain the discursive construction of identity.

Question 16

Provide an example to show how language influences the way we are perceived by others.

Question 17

What is cultural jamming, and who uses it to achieve what purpose?