LING 115 Midterm 1 (2026/2027) | 200 Exam
Questions with Verified Answers & Detailed
Rationales | Complete Study Guide Covering
Dialects, Diglossia, Code-Switching, Language
Shift & Endangerment
SECTION 1: DEFINING LANGUAGE & DIALECT (Questions 1–30)
1. According to the Invariant System Hypothesis, a language consists of which two
components?
A. A set of words and a set of rules of grammar and pronunciation
B. A set of dialects and a set of accents
C. A set of official languages and a set of national languages
D. A set of speakers and a set of writing systems
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The Invariant System Hypothesis defines language as (a) a set of words
(vocabulary) and (b) a set of rules of grammar and pronunciation that are used in the same
way by a population of speakers.
2. What is the major problem with the Invariant System Hypothesis?
A. It applies only to written languages
,B. No two individuals use an identical set of rules and vocabulary when they speak
C. It cannot account for the existence of dialects
D. It ignores the role of government in language planning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The hypothesis fails because every speaker has an idiolect—a unique,
personalized way of using language. No two speakers use exactly the same vocabulary and
grammar rules.
3. What is an idiolect?
A. A language spoken by a single isolated community
B. The unique, personalized way each individual uses language
C. A dialect spoken by a social class
D. A language that has no written form
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An idiolect is the unique, personalized way each individual uses language; no
two individuals speak exactly the same way.
4. The Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis (MIH) states that two varieties are dialects of
the same language if:
A. They share the same writing system
B. Speakers of each variety can understand each other
C. They are spoken in the same country
D. They share the same vocabulary
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The MIH proposes that if speakers of two varieties can understand each other
when they speak, the varieties are dialects of a single language; if not, they are independent
languages.
,5. Which of the following is a counterexample to the Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis?
A. American English and British English
B. Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian are mutually intelligible but classified as separate
languages
C. French and Spanish are not mutually intelligible
D. Mandarin and Cantonese are mutually intelligible
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian are largely mutually intelligible yet are officially
classified as distinct languages, contradicting the MIH.
6. Another counterexample to the MIH is that Mandarin and Cantonese are:
A. Mutually intelligible but classified as separate languages
B. Mutually unintelligible but classified as dialects of the same language (Chinese)
C. Mutually intelligible and classified as dialects of the same language
D. Mutually unintelligible and classified as separate languages
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Mandarin and Cantonese are not mutually intelligible, yet they are conventionally
classified as dialects of Chinese, which the MIH cannot explain.
7. What does the phrase “a language is a dialect with an army and a navy” illustrate?
A. That military power determines grammar
B. That the distinction between language and dialect is arbitrary and driven by socio-political
factors
C. That dialects cannot be written
D. That languages with armies always have more speakers
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The quote points out the arbitrariness of language selection; a dialect becomes a
language due to socio-political factors, not purely linguistic criteria.
, 8. Which of the following best defines a dialect?
A. A variety of a language particular to a specific region or social group
B. A language with no grammar
C. A standardized national language
D. A language spoken only by older generations
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A dialect is a variety of language that is particular to a specific region or social
group.
9. Which of the following is NOT a typical property of a dialect?
A. It is a subcategory of a recognized language
B. It shows variance in accent and vocabulary
C. It is officially recognized as a national language
D. It is generally mutually intelligible with other dialects of the same language
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Dialects are not usually officially recognized as national languages; that status is
typically reserved for languages.
10. What is an accent?
A. A distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language
B. A set of grammatical rules
C. A regional vocabulary list
D. A writing system
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: An accent refers specifically to a distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language.
11. Define “style” in sociolinguistics.
A. Ways of speaking depending on formality, age, group, and social status
Questions with Verified Answers & Detailed
Rationales | Complete Study Guide Covering
Dialects, Diglossia, Code-Switching, Language
Shift & Endangerment
SECTION 1: DEFINING LANGUAGE & DIALECT (Questions 1–30)
1. According to the Invariant System Hypothesis, a language consists of which two
components?
A. A set of words and a set of rules of grammar and pronunciation
B. A set of dialects and a set of accents
C. A set of official languages and a set of national languages
D. A set of speakers and a set of writing systems
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The Invariant System Hypothesis defines language as (a) a set of words
(vocabulary) and (b) a set of rules of grammar and pronunciation that are used in the same
way by a population of speakers.
2. What is the major problem with the Invariant System Hypothesis?
A. It applies only to written languages
,B. No two individuals use an identical set of rules and vocabulary when they speak
C. It cannot account for the existence of dialects
D. It ignores the role of government in language planning
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The hypothesis fails because every speaker has an idiolect—a unique,
personalized way of using language. No two speakers use exactly the same vocabulary and
grammar rules.
3. What is an idiolect?
A. A language spoken by a single isolated community
B. The unique, personalized way each individual uses language
C. A dialect spoken by a social class
D. A language that has no written form
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An idiolect is the unique, personalized way each individual uses language; no
two individuals speak exactly the same way.
4. The Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis (MIH) states that two varieties are dialects of
the same language if:
A. They share the same writing system
B. Speakers of each variety can understand each other
C. They are spoken in the same country
D. They share the same vocabulary
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The MIH proposes that if speakers of two varieties can understand each other
when they speak, the varieties are dialects of a single language; if not, they are independent
languages.
,5. Which of the following is a counterexample to the Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis?
A. American English and British English
B. Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian are mutually intelligible but classified as separate
languages
C. French and Spanish are not mutually intelligible
D. Mandarin and Cantonese are mutually intelligible
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian are largely mutually intelligible yet are officially
classified as distinct languages, contradicting the MIH.
6. Another counterexample to the MIH is that Mandarin and Cantonese are:
A. Mutually intelligible but classified as separate languages
B. Mutually unintelligible but classified as dialects of the same language (Chinese)
C. Mutually intelligible and classified as dialects of the same language
D. Mutually unintelligible and classified as separate languages
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Mandarin and Cantonese are not mutually intelligible, yet they are conventionally
classified as dialects of Chinese, which the MIH cannot explain.
7. What does the phrase “a language is a dialect with an army and a navy” illustrate?
A. That military power determines grammar
B. That the distinction between language and dialect is arbitrary and driven by socio-political
factors
C. That dialects cannot be written
D. That languages with armies always have more speakers
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The quote points out the arbitrariness of language selection; a dialect becomes a
language due to socio-political factors, not purely linguistic criteria.
, 8. Which of the following best defines a dialect?
A. A variety of a language particular to a specific region or social group
B. A language with no grammar
C. A standardized national language
D. A language spoken only by older generations
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A dialect is a variety of language that is particular to a specific region or social
group.
9. Which of the following is NOT a typical property of a dialect?
A. It is a subcategory of a recognized language
B. It shows variance in accent and vocabulary
C. It is officially recognized as a national language
D. It is generally mutually intelligible with other dialects of the same language
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Dialects are not usually officially recognized as national languages; that status is
typically reserved for languages.
10. What is an accent?
A. A distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language
B. A set of grammatical rules
C. A regional vocabulary list
D. A writing system
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: An accent refers specifically to a distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language.
11. Define “style” in sociolinguistics.
A. Ways of speaking depending on formality, age, group, and social status
