Question 1

Why might someone code-switch between their own language and the language of a politically more powerful society?

Accepted Answer

A)  The dominant culture's language is seen as a symbol of high status and upward mobility. 
B)  It is inevitable that the dominant culture's language will soon be taught in schools, so it is easier to adopt it right away. 
C)  They do not fully understand the dominant language, and revert back to their native language as needed. 
D)  Only certain members of society are permitted to speak the dominant culture's language. 
A)  The dominant culture's language is seen as a symbol of high status and upward mobility. 
B)  It is inevitable that the dominant culture's language will soon be taught in schools, so it is easier to adopt it right away. 
C)  They do not fully understand the dominant language, and revert back to their native language as needed. 
D)  Only certain members of society are permitted to speak the dominant culture's language.

Question 2

Why can we not use the languages of nonliterate societies to learn about the origins of language?

Accepted Answer

A)  Their languages are not simpler or less developed than our own. 
B)  Their written histories do not go far enough back in time. 
C)  They were often developed more recently than written languages. 
D)  Languages of nonliterate societies change too quickly to be any use for study. 
A)  Their languages are not simpler or less developed than our own. 
B)  Their written histories do not go far enough back in time. 
C)  They were often developed more recently than written languages. 
D)  Languages of nonliterate societies change too quickly to be any use for study.

Question 3

How does language reflect social status? Give three specific examples in which members of different social positions use different forms of language.

Accepted Answer

The ideal answer should include:
1.Examp

Question 4

Any system of communication consists of publicly accepted __________ by which individuals try to share private experiences.

Accepted Answer

A)  symbols 
B)  beliefs 
C)  ideas 
D)  facts 
A)  symbols 
B)  beliefs 
C)  ideas 
D)  facts

Question 5

Why is it so difficult to pinpoint the emergence of the earliest languages?

Accepted Answer

A)  Written language only appeared about 5,000 years ago. 
B)  Modern apes have a rudimentary language, so it must date to at least the divergence of the human and ape lineages. 
C)  There are clear structural differences in the brains of people who speak and people who don't, but we have no fossilized evidence of brain structure. 
D)  Every culture reports that they have been able to speak since the beginning of time. 
A)  Written language only appeared about 5,000 years ago. 
B)  Modern apes have a rudimentary language, so it must date to at least the divergence of the human and ape lineages. 
C)  There are clear structural differences in the brains of people who speak and people who don't, but we have no fossilized evidence of brain structure. 
D)  Every culture reports that they have been able to speak since the beginning of time.

Question 6

Consider the value of writing and literacy to a society. What limitations can you imagine would be present in everyday life in a completely illiterate society? How does a difference in writing and literacy affect overall social inequality?

Accepted Answer

The ideal answer should include:
1.How i

Question 7

Explain how the field of historical linguistics traces cultural connections through related languages.

Accepted Answer

The ideal answer should include:
1.Defin

Question 8

Although gorillas and chimpanzees appear to have the capacity for symbolic communication,human language is a unique communication system because __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  its spoken and symbolic nature permits an infinite number of combinations of meaning 
B)  it relies heavily on body language more than other animals 
C)  it requires fewer phonemes than other primate communication systems 
D)  it is more effective than animal call systems 
A)  its spoken and symbolic nature permits an infinite number of combinations of meaning 
B)  it relies heavily on body language more than other animals 
C)  it requires fewer phonemes than other primate communication systems 
D)  it is more effective than animal call systems

Question 9

In addition to geographical separation,how do different dialects become completely different languages?

Accepted Answer

A)  social restrictions preventing regular communication between the two groups 
B)  intentional distinction by the speakers of the two groups 
C)  educational differences between speakers of the two dialects 
D)  religious beliefs restricting the use of one of the dialects 
A)  social restrictions preventing regular communication between the two groups 
B)  intentional distinction by the speakers of the two groups 
C)  educational differences between speakers of the two dialects 
D)  religious beliefs restricting the use of one of the dialects

Question 10

The fact that there are thousands of languages tells us that language is __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  not completely biologically determined 
B)  not affected by cultural variation 
C)  arranged primarily by geography 
D)  the most difficult aspect of cultural anthropology 
A)  not completely biologically determined 
B)  not affected by cultural variation 
C)  arranged primarily by geography 
D)  the most difficult aspect of cultural anthropology

Question 11

Compare and contrast human and nonhuman communication.

Accepted Answer

The ideal answer should include:
1.A tho

Question 12

In Robert Schrauf's comparative study,which group was used to represent immigrants with the greatest retention of their native language?

Accepted Answer

A)  third-generation immigrants 
B)  second-generation immigrants 
C)  first-generation immigrants 
D)  fourth-generation immigrants 
A)  third-generation immigrants 
B)  second-generation immigrants 
C)  first-generation immigrants 
D)  fourth-generation immigrants

Question 13

By what age can you expect your little sister to understand the difference between "me eat cookie" and "cookie eat me"?

Accepted Answer

A)  18 to 24 months 
B)  16 months 
C)  12 to 18 months 
D)  10 months 
A)  18 to 24 months 
B)  16 months 
C)  12 to 18 months 
D)  10 months

Question 14

A study comparing Japanese and American facial expressions found that __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the two had similar expressions in private, but the Japanese participants tried to mask their feelings in front of authority figures 
B)  the two had similar expressions in public, but the American participants were more expressive when they thought they were alone 
C)  participants of both cultural groups were careful to mask their feelings in front of authority figures 
D)  participants of the two cultural groups had nearly identical facial expressions, both in public and in private 
A)  the two had similar expressions in private, but the Japanese participants tried to mask their feelings in front of authority figures 
B)  the two had similar expressions in public, but the American participants were more expressive when they thought they were alone 
C)  participants of both cultural groups were careful to mask their feelings in front of authority figures 
D)  participants of the two cultural groups had nearly identical facial expressions, both in public and in private

Question 15

Which is true of the core vocabularies of languages?

Accepted Answer

A)  All languages have core vocabularies of about the same size. 
B)  More ancient cultures have larger core vocabularies. 
C)  More socially diverse societies have larger core vocabularies. 
D)  More complex societies have larger core vocabularies. 
A)  All languages have core vocabularies of about the same size. 
B)  More ancient cultures have larger core vocabularies. 
C)  More socially diverse societies have larger core vocabularies. 
D)  More complex societies have larger core vocabularies.

Why might someone code-switch between their own language and the language of a politically more powerful society?

Why can we not use the languages of nonliterate societies to learn about the origins of language?

How does language reflect social status? Give three specific examples in which members of different social positions use different forms of language.

Any system of communication consists of publicly accepted __________ by which individuals try to share private experiences.

Why is it so difficult to pinpoint the emergence of the earliest languages?

Consider the value of writing and literacy to a society. What limitations can you imagine would be present in everyday life in a completely illiterate society? How does a difference in writing and literacy affect overall social inequality?

Explain how the field of historical linguistics traces cultural connections through related languages.

Although gorillas and chimpanzees appear to have the capacity for symbolic communication,human language is a unique communication system because __________.

In addition to geographical separation,how do different dialects become completely different languages?

The fact that there are thousands of languages tells us that language is __________.

Compare and contrast human and nonhuman communication.

In Robert Schrauf's comparative study,which group was used to represent immigrants with the greatest retention of their native language?

By what age can you expect your little sister to understand the difference between "me eat cookie" and "cookie eat me"?

A study comparing Japanese and American facial expressions found that __________.

Which is true of the core vocabularies of languages?

What Is Anthropology?

Research Methods in Anthropology

Genetics and Evolution

Human Variation and Adaptation

Primates: Past and Present

The First Hominins and the Emergence of Homo

The Emergence of Homo sapiens and the Upper Paleolithic World

Food Production and the Rise of States

Culture and Culture Change

Economics

Social Stratification: Class, Ethnicity, and Racism

Sex and Gender

Marriage, Family, and Kinship

Political Life: Social Order and Disorder

Religion and Magic

The Arts

Global Problems

Practicing and Applying Anthropology

Filters

Exam 10: Communication and Language

Why might someone code-switch between their own language and the language of a politically more powerful society?

Why can we not use the languages of nonliterate societies to learn about the origins of language?

How does language reflect social status? Give three specific examples in which members of different social positions use different forms of language.

Any system of communication consists of publicly accepted __________ by which individuals try to share private experiences.

Why is it so difficult to pinpoint the emergence of the earliest languages?

Consider the value of writing and literacy to a society. What limitations can you imagine would be present in everyday life in a completely illiterate society? How does a difference in writing and literacy affect overall social inequality?

Explain how the field of historical linguistics traces cultural connections through related languages.

Although gorillas and chimpanzees appear to have the capacity for symbolic communication,human language is a unique communication system because __________.

In addition to geographical separation,how do different dialects become completely different languages?

The fact that there are thousands of languages tells us that language is __________.

Compare and contrast human and nonhuman communication.

In Robert Schrauf's comparative study,which group was used to represent immigrants with the greatest retention of their native language?

By what age can you expect your little sister to understand the difference between "me eat cookie" and "cookie eat me"?

A study comparing Japanese and American facial expressions found that __________.

Which is true of the core vocabularies of languages?

What Is Anthropology?

Research Methods in Anthropology

Genetics and Evolution

Human Variation and Adaptation

Primates: Past and Present

The First Hominins and the Emergence of Homo

The Emergence of Homo sapiens and the Upper Paleolithic World

Food Production and the Rise of States

Culture and Culture Change

Economics

Social Stratification: Class, Ethnicity, and Racism

Sex and Gender

Marriage, Family, and Kinship

Political Life: Social Order and Disorder

Religion and Magic

The Arts

Global Problems

Practicing and Applying Anthropology

Filters