Questions
- What is a dialect? a) A completely different language
b) A regional or social variation of a language
c) A formal version of a language
d) A written form of a language - Which of the following is an example of a dialect? a) British English and American English
b) Latin and Greek
c) Mandarin and Cantonese
d) Spanish and Portuguese - True or False: Dialects are mutually unintelligible with their standard language counterparts.
- Which factor is most commonly responsible for the development of dialects? a) Technological advances
b) Geographic separation
c) International trade
d) Government policies - The term “dialect” is often used interchangeably with which of the following, though they can have different meanings? a) Accent
b) Language family
c) Pidgin
d) Creole - Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of dialects? a) They can include unique vocabulary
b) They always have their own standardized grammar rules
c) They often have distinct pronunciation patterns
d) They reflect cultural identity - In linguistics, what is the term for a dialect that has developed its own written standards and is used officially? a) Pidgin
b) Creole
c) Standard language
d) Literary dialect - Which of these is a reason why dialects can sometimes cause communication difficulties? a) Different vocabulary and pronunciation
b) Different alphabet systems
c) Different writing scripts
d) Different number systems - True or False: Dialects can influence the development of new languages over time.
- Which of the following is an example of a dialectal variation within the same language? a) Hindi and Urdu
b) New York English and Southern American English
c) French and Italian
d) Mandarin and Cantonese
Answers:
- b) A regional or social variation of a language
- a) British English and American English
- False
- b) Geographic separation
- a) Accent
- b) They always have their own standardized grammar rules
- c) Standard language
- a) Different vocabulary and pronunciation
- True
- b) New York English and Southern American English