Textbook 5.1: Where Are Languages Distributed?

The geographic study of the distribution of languages provides a good example of

• the interplay between interaction and isolation

• the diffusion of folk culture in different areas of the world

• the role and spread of religion across much of the world

• the diffusion of trade routes across much of the world

• political conflicts that arise due to ethnic tensions

The contemporary distribution of languages around the globe is largely a result of

• social media

• the Internet

• Rosetta Stone sales

• migration

• high school requirements to learn a second language

When it comes to languages, an example of a centripetal force would be

• historical migration patterns

• groups of people who speak different languages

• a group of people who share the same language

• language requirements in school

• movements, sounds, and symbols

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding the spatial study of languages?

• People in two locations use different languages because of regular interaction among them

• If two groups have few connections with each other after migrating, the languages used by the two groups will begin to diverge

• People in two locations use different languages because of migration from one location to the other

• Language is like luggage; it can be lost when you migrate or travel

• People living in Madagascar and the Philippines are too far apart to speak languages from the same language family

The main difference between languages in the same family, branch, or group is how

• recently in time the languages were once the same

• closely the speakers of each language live to one other

• they correspond to the diffusion of free markets throughout the world

• similar the cultures of the speakers of each language are

• they all emerged at the same point in history, according to the Bible

A collection of languages that share a common origin in the recent past but have since evolved into individual languages is a

• dialect

• language branch

• language family

• language group

• language root

A group of languages that share a common ancestor before recorded history is a

• dialect

• language branch

• language family

• language group

• language root

A literary tradition is

• a form of a language intended to be printed in official government documents

• specific only to Shakespearian English

• a collection of languages related to one other

• the written form of a language

• the variety of dialects in a language used in obscure examples of poetry

Which statement is TRUE regarding geographers' study of language?

• Language is important because of its relationship to nationality

• Geographers examine the similarities among languages to understand the diffusion and interaction of people around the world

• It is easier to study and document the distribution of languages in Africa than in Europe

• Geographers are only interested in identifying and studying spoken languages

• Earth's homogenous collection of languages illustrates cultural diversity

The current estimate of the number of languages spoken across the planet is approximately

• less than 100

• between 250 and 1,000 languages

• between 1,500 and 3,000 languages

• between 3,500 and 6,500 languages

• over 7,000