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Linguistic Diversity and Language Variation Quiz

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Which term refers to the study of how languages change over time?

Historical linguistics

Explanation

Study of language evolution through time.

What is the term for the distinct varieties of a language that result from geographical or social differences?

Dialects

Explanation

Language variations due to geography or social factors.

What linguistic term refers to the rules governing how words are formed from morphemes?

Morphology

Explanation

Study of word formation and structure.

Which linguistic concept refers to the process of adding new words to a language?

Language borrowing

Explanation

Incorporating words from other languages.

Which linguistic field focuses on the sounds of speech, including their production, transmission, and reception?

Phonology

Explanation

Study of speech sounds and their properties.

What linguistic term refers to the study of the structure of words and word formation?

Morphology

Explanation

Analysis of word structure and formation.

What is the term for a word or phrase that has the same meaning as another word or phrase?

Synonym

Explanation

Word with equivalent meaning.

Which linguistic theory emphasizes the influence of societal factors on language variation and change?

Sociolinguistics

Explanation

Study of how society shapes language.

What is the term for the phenomenon where speakers unconsciously adjust their language to be more similar to their conversation partner?

Language convergence

Explanation

Adapting language to match conversation partner.

#10

What term describes the situation where a language ceases to be spoken over time?

Language death

Explanation

Language becoming extinct in usage.

#11

Who proposed the theory of Universal Grammar, suggesting that humans are born with an innate knowledge of language structure?

Noam Chomsky

Explanation

Chomsky's idea of innate language knowledge.

#12

Which linguistic theory proposes that language is acquired through imitation, reinforcement, and conditioning?

Behaviorism

Explanation

Language learning through behavior.

#13

Which linguistic concept refers to the gradual loss of a first language due to lack of use?

Language attrition

Explanation

Gradual decline of a language.

#14

What term describes the phenomenon where a speaker alternates between two or more languages within a single conversation?

Code-switching

Explanation

Alternating between languages in speech.

#15

Which linguistic concept refers to the mixing of languages, often occurring in bilingual or multilingual communities?

Code-switching

Explanation

Alternating between languages within speech.

#16

What is the term for the phenomenon where a word's meaning shifts over time, often resulting in a weakening or broadening of its original sense?

Semantic change

Explanation

Evolution of word meanings over time.

Linguistic Diversity and Language Variation Quiz

Which term refers to the study of how languages change over time?

What is the term for the distinct varieties of a language that result from geographical or social differences?

What linguistic term refers to the rules governing how words are formed from morphemes?

Which linguistic concept refers to the process of adding new words to a language?

Which linguistic field focuses on the sounds of speech, including their production, transmission, and reception?

What linguistic term refers to the study of the structure of words and word formation?

What is the term for a word or phrase that has the same meaning as another word or phrase?

Which linguistic theory emphasizes the influence of societal factors on language variation and change?

What is the term for the phenomenon where speakers unconsciously adjust their language to be more similar to their conversation partner?

What term describes the situation where a language ceases to be spoken over time?

Who proposed the theory of Universal Grammar, suggesting that humans are born with an innate knowledge of language structure?

Which linguistic theory proposes that language is acquired through imitation, reinforcement, and conditioning?

Which linguistic concept refers to the gradual loss of a first language due to lack of use?

What term describes the phenomenon where a speaker alternates between two or more languages within a single conversation?

Which linguistic concept refers to the mixing of languages, often occurring in bilingual or multilingual communities?

What is the term for the phenomenon where a word's meaning shifts over time, often resulting in a weakening or broadening of its original sense?

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