Sociolinguistics: Core Concepts & Language Dynamics
Which field does not belong to sociolinguistics?
- (A) Ethnography of communication
- (B) Sociology of language
- (C) Social psychology of language
- (D) Interactional sociolinguistics
- (E) Formal linguistics
Sociolinguistics is:
- (A) A single linguistic discipline
- (B) Multidisciplinary
The concept of ‘covert prestige’ is associated with:
- (A) The standard variety
- (B) Non-standard varieties
Social network studies have shown that vernacular maintenance is found in:
- (A) Loose-knit networks
- (B) Close-knit networks
- (C) Both
The emphasis in sociolinguistics has been placed on:
- (A) Descriptive studies
- (B) Theory construction
In diglossic communities, there is no linguistic distinction between formal and informal domains of use. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
In diglossic communities, it is impossible to predict when the high or the low varieties will be used. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
Diglossia is a characteristic of:
- (A) Individuals
- (B) Speech communities
- (C) Formal contexts
In diglossia, languages or varieties:
- (A) Overlap in their functions
- (B) Stand in a complementary function
In England, during the Norman control (1066-end of 14th century), the sociolinguistic situation can be categorized as:
- (A) Diglossia
- (B) Bilingualism
- (C) Monolingualism
The multifunctionality of code-switches is the basis of:
- (A) The interpretative paradigm
- (B) The allocation paradigm
- (C) Both
Fishman’s model of domains of language use in a community is useful to account for untypical interactions. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
The basic unit of the ethnography of communication is:
- (A) The speech act
- (B) The speech event
- (C) The speech community
- (D) The speech situation
For the ethnographer of speaking, speech is:
- (A) Psychological behaviour
- (B) Cultural behaviour
- (C) Linguistic behaviour
- (D) Class-related behaviour
The expectation of one language per speech event is held in:
- (A) The allocation paradigm
- (B) The interpretative paradigm
Gumperz’s approach uses the following categories:
- (A) Situational vs. metaphorical switching
- (B) Personalization vs. objectification
- (C) None of these
Gumperz’s distinction between ‘we’ and ‘they’ codes is associated with:
- (A) In-group and out-group activities
- (B) Referential meaning
- (C) Lack of competence
In Myers-Scotton’s model, the marked choice is used to increase or decrease social distance. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
When code switching is the unmarked choice, it is an index of:
- (A) Referential complexity
- (B) Dual identities
- (C) Intergroup tension
In communities with intergroup tension, Myers-Scotton’s model predicts code switching as an unmarked choice. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
Note: On the contrary, language loyalty is predicted.
According to research, code-switching can distinguish between a teaching frame and a classroom management frame. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
An essential feature in Auer’s model is:
- (A) The interlocutors’ rights and obligations set
- (B) The sequential environment where code-switching occurs
- (C) The correlation between speech event and language choice
In Auer’s model, a change in code due to a change in topic is:
- (A) Discourse-related
- (B) Participant-related
In Auer’s model, a transfer implies a renegotiation of the language of interaction. True or False?
- (A) True
- (B) False
In Spanish publicity, a very frequent type of code alternation is:
- (A) Code-switching
- (B) Transfer
- (C) Code mixing
According to interactional sociolinguistics, communication is:
- (A) A process of decoding
- (B) An inferential and logical process
- (C) A presupposition-based process
The method in ethnographic research involves:
- (A) Large-scale surveys
- (B) Data collection in experimental settings
- (C) Participant observation in speech communities
Patterns of language use and interpretation are better linked to:
- (A) Social class
- (B) Social networks
Post-Labovian sociolinguistics, emerging in the 1980s, was based on the analytical construct of:
- (A) Speech situation
- (B) Social class
- (C) Social network