Deck 6: Language and Intercultural Communication

Question 1

The study of the sound system of language including how words are pronounced is known as _____.

A) phonetics
B) semantics
C) pragmatics
D) syntactics

Answer 1

phonetics

Question 2

The study of meaning or how individual words communicate the meaning we intend to get across in our communication is known as _____.

A) phonetics
B) semantics
C) syntactics
D) pragmatics

Answer 2

semantics

Question 3

The study of the structure of language or how words are combined into meaningful sentences (e.g., the cat white or the white cat) is known as _____.

A) syntactics
B) semantics
C) pragmatics
D) phonetics

Answer 3

syntactics

Question 4

The study of how language is actually used in particular contexts is known as _____.

A) phonetics
B) semantics
C) pragmatics
D) syntactics

Question 5

Communication which is indirect because most of the meaning is internalized in the person is known as _____ communication.

A) understated
B) low-context
C) high-context
D) elaborate

Question 6

When the majority of a message is in spoken words, the speaker is probably using a(n) _____ communication style.

A) indirect
B) low-context
C) high-context
D) affective

Question 7

A style of communication in which much of the information is contained in the contexts and nonverbal cues rather than expressed explicitly in words is referred to as _____ communication.

A) indirect
B) low-context
C) high-context
D) direct

Question 8

The _____ communication style is one in which verbal messages reveal a speaker's true intentions, needs, wants, and desires.

A) direct
B) elaborate
C) indirect
D) understated

Question 9

Denise wants a new coat. Instead of asking her mother outright (which would be improper in her family), she openly admires the coats of others. Denise is using a(n) _____ style of communication.

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

Question 10

Many Arabic speakers use rich, expressive language in everyday talk. They probably are using a(n) _____ style of communication.

A) elaborate
B) succinct
C) indirect
D) understated

Question 11

A(n) _____ style of communication emphasizes cooperative communication and sincerity as a basis for human interaction.

A) elaborate
B) succinct
C) indirect
D) understated

Question 12

Howard thinks that relationships are the most important aspect of life. So, if he has information that might disappoint or upset the other person, he may not share it completely. Howard probably prefers a(n) _____ style of communication.

A) indirect
B) direct
C) understated
D) elaborate

Question 13

Ramona believes in "telling it like it is" with her roommates, even though that means saying negative things sometimes. Ramona is probably using a(n) _____ style of communication.

A) understated
B) elaborate
C) indirect
D) direct

Question 14

Changing our communication style so that we can be more effective communicators in another culture is known as _____.

A) language acquisition
B) translation
C) code switching
D) semantics

Question 15

Darrel is gay and some of his co-workers are aware of this. At work, he uses communication strategies that emphasize trying to fit in and be accepted by a dominant group. He talks about his nephews when his colleagues talk about their kids, and he laughs at some homophobic jokes that he doesn't really feel are funny. Darrel is using a(n) _____ accommodation strategy in order to assimilate.

A) assertive
B) aggressive
C) nonassertive
D) elaborate

Question 16

Eduardo, a student who uses a wheel chair, goes to great lengths to prove that he is like the other students. He separates himself as much as possible from other people with disabilities and engages in self-ridicule to show that he is humble. Eduardo is using a(n)_____ assimilation strategy.

A) assertive
B) aggressive
C) nonassertive
D) instrumental

Question 17

Kelsey, who is Jewish, tries to blend with the dominant group at work as much as possible. When they offer her a slice of pizza, she gently declines and delicately points out that her religion tells her that she should not eat the meat of cloven-hoofed animals. Kelsey is probably using a(n) _____ accommodation strategy.

A) assertive
B) aggressive
C) nonassertive
D) indirect

Question 18

Leona, an African American, hears one of her white friends use a phrase that has traditionally been used to disparage blacks. She tactfully educates her friend about the history and meaning of the word because while she doesn't wish to be offended, she also knows he meant no harm. Leona is probably using a(n) _____ accommodation strategy.

A) assertive
B) aggressive
C) nonassertive
D) indirect

Question 19

Sankaran immigrated to the United States from India as a child. Although he speaks fluent English, he prefers to live, work, and socialize with people who look like himself. Sankaran has chosen to use a(n) _____ separation strategy.

A) assertive
B) aggressive
C) instrumental
D) nonassertive

Question 20

_____ separation strategies (e.g., attacking and sabotaging others) are used by those for whom co-cultural segregation is an important priority.

A) Elaborate
B) Aggressive
C) Assertive
D) Nonassertive

Question 21

People who speak more than two languages are considered _____.

A) bilingual
B) multilingual
C) multicultural
D) translators

Question 22

The process of verbally expressing what is said or written in another language is known as _____.

A) translation
B) interpretation
C) equivalency
D) discourse

Question 23

Cliff is in the process of producing an English target text that refers to an article written in Portuguese (source text). Cliff is engaged in _____.

A) translation
B) discourse
C) equivalency
D) interpretation

Question 24

In German, the modifier goes before the verb instead of after. If Jorg, a native German speaker, says, "Interesting this is." He is using _____.

A) improvised performance
B) third culture style
C) translation
D) interlanguage

Question 25

Which of the following statements is true of machine translation?

A) It preserves the meaning of the original context.
B) It is familiar with the idioms and slangs of languages.
C) It requires access to online tools.
D) It is accurate.

Question 26

The view that the particular language one speaks influences his or her perception but does not completely determine his or her perception is known as the _____.

A) pragmatic position
B) qualified relativist position
C) nominalist position
D) semantic relativist position

Question 27

Metamessage is defined as:

A) the meaning of a message that tells others how they should respond to the content of a person's communication based on his or her relationship to them.
B) a verbal message often designed to camouflage a speaker's true intentions, needs, wants, and desires.
C) the overlap among the syntactics, pragmatics, phonetics, and language styles of a native language creating a third way of communication.
D) a type of communication in which much of the information is conveyed in words rather than in nonverbal cues and contexts.

Question 28

Interlanguage is defined as:

A) a commonly shared language that is used as a medium of communication between people of different languages.
B) the laws or customs that determine when and where which language will be spoken.
C) a kind of communication that emerges when speakers of one language are speaking in another language.
D) the process of producing a written text that refers to something said or written in another language.

Question 29

Groups with the most power in a society use a communication system that supports their perception of the world.

Question 30

Nonassertive separation strategies are used by people who assume that segregation is a part of everyday life.

Question 31

Labels are not really that important in terms of establishing relationships.

Question 32

Most bilinguals speak both languages at the same level of fluency.

Question 33

The use of honorifics in English is limited to formal situations.

Question 34

Learning the language of a group a person dislikes is pretty much the same as learning the language of a more favored group.

Question 35

A law stating that English is the only language to be used in educational settings would be a language policy.

Question 36

Groups of equal power within society's social structure are known as co-cultural groups.

Question 37

The understated style of communication values simple assertions and silence.

Question 38

The direct style of communication is often used when individuals wish to preserve the harmony of a relationship.

Question 39

Language educators think that with the continued growth and progression of machine translation tools such as Google Translate, there will no longer be a need to teach foreign languages in schools.

Question 40

A commonly shared language that is used as a medium of communication between people of different languages is referred to as lingua franca.

Question 41

Social media has drastically "increased the shelf life"
of slang.

Question 42

The original language text of a translation is called the target text, and the text into which it is translated is called the source text.

Question 43

Discuss the power effects of labels.

Question 44

Identify and discuss the issues of equivalency and accuracy in interpretation and translation.

Question 45

Compare and contrast the high-context communication style with the understated communication style.

Question 46

What might be the benefits of the nonassertive assimilation style for a Muslim American working in an organization run by Protestant Americans? What might be the costs of using this approach?

Question 47

Explain the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.

Question 48

Under what circumstances might silence be a primary mode of communication in the United States?