Language Change

Which of the following is an example of phonological change in the English language?

• The creation of new words like “selfie.”

• The loss of the ‘th’ sound in some dialects.

• The development of new sentence structures.

• The change in meaning of the word “gay.”

What does semantic broadening refer to?

• A word developing a more positive meaning over time.

• A word losing some of its original meanings.

• A word gaining additional meanings while retaining the old ones.

• The evolution of a word to have a more specific meaning.

Which of these is an example of syntactic change in the English language?

• The introduction of new slang words.

• The change in sentence structure, such as the increasing use of the passive voice.

• The introduction of loanwords from other languages.

• A change in how vowels are pronounced.

Which of these is a key concept in pragmatics?

• How words change their meanings over time.

• The structure of sentences.

• How context influences the meaning of language.

• How sounds are produced in speech.

In the context of language change, what is descriptivism?

• The belief that language change is natural and should be observed without judgment.

• The idea that language should follow strict rules and standards.

• The theory that language is deteriorating over time.

• The enforcement of prescriptive grammar rules.

What is the term for the process where a word’s meaning becomes more positive over time?

• Pejoration

• Amelioration

• Semantic Drift

• Narrowing

Which theory proposes that language changes are influenced by contact with other languages or dialects?

• Evolutionary Linguistics

• Functional Theory

• Descriptivism

• Substratum Theory

Which theory suggests that language is influenced by its users’ need for effective communication in society?

• Functional Theory

• Linguistic Relativity

• Descriptivism

• Substratum Theory

What is the term for the process where words change meaning over time?

• Syntax

• Semantic Shift

• Phonetic Drift

• Pragmatic Shift

The Great Vowel Shift, which occurred between the 15th and 18th centuries, primarily affected which part of English?

• Word order

• Vocabulary

• Pronunciation of long vowels

• Sentence structure