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2 Linguistic Diversity and Variation Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 2 Linguistic Diversity and Variation, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions
01
Choose one
1 point

A researcher compares two speech communities and finds differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Which statement correctly distinguishes an accent from a dialect?

  1. A

    An accent includes pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar; a dialect concerns pronunciation only.

  2. B

    An accent concerns pronunciation, while a dialect includes pronunciation as well as vocabulary and grammar.

  3. C

    An accent is associated with social groups, while a dialect is associated only with geography.

  4. D

    An accent is a type of register, while a dialect is a type of style.

02
True or false
1 point

A variety is called “standard” because it has gained recognition in institutions such as schools or government. This status means the variety is more linguistically logical and expressive than other varieties.

  1. A

    True

  2. B

    False

03
Fill in the blank
1 point

A feature with two or more alternatives that serve a similar function in a given context is a .

04
Written response
1 point

What term refers to language choices associated with a communicative setting or activity, such as the technical vocabulary used in medicine?

05
Fill in the blank
1 point

A community variety may help speakers express belonging, , distinction, or a connection to a place and history.

06
Choose one
1 point

Two neighboring communities share several pronunciation and vocabulary patterns, while differences become more noticeable farther away. Which conclusion best fits this pattern?

  1. A

    Each region has a sharp boundary, and neighboring communities do not share linguistic features.

  2. B

    Regional differences disappear whenever people from neighboring places interact.

  3. C

    Regional boundaries are often gradual, and neighboring communities may share features.

  4. D

    Regional patterns remain unchanged despite travel, migration, media, and speaker contact.

07
True or false
1 point

If a person shifts among different varieties or styles during the day, that is evidence that language variation is random rather than patterned.

  1. A

    True

  2. B

    False

08
Written response
1 point

What term describes adjusting one's speech toward or away from another person's way of speaking?

09
Choose all
1 point

Which areas of language can vary? Select all correct choices.

  1. A

    Pronunciation

  2. B

    Vocabulary

  3. C

    Grammar

  4. D

    Meaning

  5. E

    Conversation practices

  6. F

    Institutional recognition

  7. G

    The sharpness of regional boundaries

10
Choose one
1 point

In the same class discussion, a student chooses casual wording with friends and more formal wording when addressing the instructor. Which concept best describes the choice that shapes the tone?

  1. A

    Register, because the speaker is choosing language associated with a technical activity.

  2. B

    Style, because the speaker is shaping the tone from casual to formal.

  3. C

    Accent, because the speaker is changing pronunciation.

  4. D

    Dialect, because the speaker is changing grammatical patterns.

11
Choose all
1 point

A speaker adjusts their language toward or away from another person's way of speaking. Which purposes can this accommodation serve? Select all correct choices.

  1. A

    Supporting rapport

  2. B

    Showing respect

  3. C

    Emphasizing difference

  4. D

    Proving that one way of speaking is inherently superior

  5. E

    Ensuring that a speaker uses one fixed style in every setting

12
Open ended
1 point

A colleague claims that everyone of the same age and occupation must speak in the same way. Explain what sociolinguistic patterns can support about age and occupation, and why the colleague's conclusion is too strong.

13
Choose one
1 point

Listeners describe the same linguistic feature as friendly in one interaction and out of place in another. What is the best interpretation?

  1. A

    The feature has one fixed social meaning that every listener will recognize.

  2. B

    Its social meaning can depend on context and on how different listeners interpret it.

  3. C

    The feature must be an accent, since social meanings only attach to pronunciation.

  4. D

    The feature reveals that one of the speakers is using an inferior variety.

14
Written response
1 point

What sociolinguistic term names a feature with two or more alternatives that serve a similar function in a given context?

15
Choose one
1 point

A researcher compares two regional varieties that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Which term best describes the broader pattern of differences?

  1. A

    An accent, because it includes vocabulary and grammar as well as pronunciation.

  2. B

    A dialect, because the patterns include pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

  3. C

    A register, because the patterns are associated with a communicative setting.

  4. D

    A style, because the patterns determine whether speech is formal or casual.

16
True or false
1 point

A speaker who uses different forms in different interactions during the day must be using language randomly and inconsistently.

  1. A

    True

  2. B

    False

17
Written response
1 point

What term describes language choices that help shape the tone or social effect of communication, such as making it more casual or formal?

18
Choose one
1 point

A nurse uses specialized medical vocabulary during a clinical handoff, then explains the same idea in everyday words to a friend. Which concept best describes the setting- and activity-associated choices in the handoff?

  1. A

    Accent

  2. B

    Style

  3. C

    Register

  4. D

    Dialect

19
Choose one
1 point

A study finds an association between occupation and a set of language patterns. Which conclusion is justified?

  1. A

    The factor determines exactly how every member of the group speaks.

  2. B

    The factor may be associated with linguistic patterns, but it does not determine every individual's speech.

  3. C

    The factor proves that members of the group use one uniform variety.

  4. D

    The factor is relevant only to pronunciation, not to other language patterns.

20
Choose one
1 point

Two neighboring communities share some pronunciation patterns, and those patterns become more common after increased travel between them. Which interpretation best fits this situation?

  1. A

    Regional patterns can overlap across neighboring communities, and contact can spread or change features over time.

  2. B

    Each regional variety must stop sharply at a fixed boundary.

  3. C

    Shared features show that the communities cannot have regional differences.

  4. D

    Regional features remain unchanged even when people travel or migrate.