LING 115 MIDTERM 1 EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
2026/2027 UPDATE
1. Which of the following statements best reflects the linguistic view
of prescriptivism versus descriptivism?
A) Prescriptivism describes how language is actually spoken, while
descriptivism dictates how it should be spoken.
B) Descriptivism argues that language should follow strict grammar
book rules, while prescriptivism observes natural speech.
C) Prescriptivism dictates rules for "proper" language, while
descriptivism observes how language is actually used by speakers.
D) Both prescriptivism and descriptivism agree that casual speech like
"ain't" is grammatically incorrect.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Prescriptivism is the belief that there is a correct and
incorrect way to use language, often based on grammar books.
Descriptivism is the objective analysis of how language is actually used
by speakers without judgment.
2. If a linguist states that "language is what is in the speakers' heads,"
which concept are they emphasizing?
A) The idea that grammar books are the ultimate authority on language.
B) The concept that language is a mental system that exists within the
minds of its users.
C) The belief that only written language is valid.
D) The idea that language must be formally taught in schools.
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: This statement emphasizes the mentalist view of language,
where the rules and vocabulary are stored cognitively in the brain of the
speaker, rather than being defined by external authorities.
3. What is the primary problem with the statement "Every speaker of
a language has exactly the same grammar and vocabulary"?
A) It assumes everyone speaks a standard dialect.
B) It ignores that every speaker has slightly different rules and
vocabulary, known as idiolects.
C) It suggests that language is entirely innate.
D) It implies that mutual intelligibility is impossible.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An idiolect is the unique linguistic system of a single speaker.
While speakers share a lot, no two speakers have identical mental
grammars or vocabularies.
4. Norwegian and Danish are often considered separate languages
despite being mutually intelligible. What does this suggest about the
Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis?
A) It is the only valid way to define a language.
B) It is a perfect system for classifying all languages.
C) It is flawed because sociopolitical factors often override pure
linguistic intelligibility.
D) It proves that dialects do not exist.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis suggests that if two
speakers can understand each other, they speak the same language.
However, Norwegian and Danish speakers can often understand each
other, yet they are distinct languages due to national identity and
political borders. Thus, the hypothesis is flawed as a sole criterion.
,5. Which language is noted for having approximately 40 mutually
unintelligible dialects, making it difficult to define as a single
monolithic language?
A) Arabic
B) Spanish
C) English
D) Mandarin
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Arabic is often described as a "macrolanguage." Due to the
vast differences between regional varieties (e.g., Moroccan Arabic vs.
Iraqi Arabic), they are often mutually unintelligible, functioning more
like separate languages in practice.
6. True or False: The Papua New Guinea varieties Lusi and Kove are
considered by their speakers to be the same language because their
grammar and vocabulary are almost identical.
A) True
B) False
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In some cases, speakers of different varieties (like Lusi and
Kove) consider themselves to speak different languages due to cultural
or social identity, even if linguistic intelligibility is high. Conversely, they
might consider distinct dialects the same language if they share an
identity.
7. True or False: The end points of a dialect continuum are easily
defined as separate languages.
A) True
B) False
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: A dialect continuum features a gradient of change over
geography. There is rarely a sharp line where one language ends and
another begins. The endpoints are often defined by political or social
boundaries, not purely linguistic ones.
8. True or False: Listening to how people speak along the Spain/France
border, there is no clear linguistic way to say exactly where Spanish
ends and French begins.
A) True
B) False
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: This describes a dialect continuum. The transition from one
language to another is gradual across the border region, so there is no
singular acoustic point where "Spanish stops" and "French starts."
9. Which of the following terms describes a situation where language
varies gradually across geographic space, with neighboring varieties
being intelligible but distant ones not being intelligible?
A) Dialect shock
B) Dialect continuum
C) Diglossia
D) Language isolate
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A dialect continuum is a range of dialects spoken across a
geographical area, with neighboring dialects differing slightly and
distant dialects differing significantly.
10. If a person speaks a language using rules they invented that no
one else understands, this violates which aspect of language?
A) It is systematic.
2026/2027 UPDATE
1. Which of the following statements best reflects the linguistic view
of prescriptivism versus descriptivism?
A) Prescriptivism describes how language is actually spoken, while
descriptivism dictates how it should be spoken.
B) Descriptivism argues that language should follow strict grammar
book rules, while prescriptivism observes natural speech.
C) Prescriptivism dictates rules for "proper" language, while
descriptivism observes how language is actually used by speakers.
D) Both prescriptivism and descriptivism agree that casual speech like
"ain't" is grammatically incorrect.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Prescriptivism is the belief that there is a correct and
incorrect way to use language, often based on grammar books.
Descriptivism is the objective analysis of how language is actually used
by speakers without judgment.
2. If a linguist states that "language is what is in the speakers' heads,"
which concept are they emphasizing?
A) The idea that grammar books are the ultimate authority on language.
B) The concept that language is a mental system that exists within the
minds of its users.
C) The belief that only written language is valid.
D) The idea that language must be formally taught in schools.
Correct Answer: B
,Rationale: This statement emphasizes the mentalist view of language,
where the rules and vocabulary are stored cognitively in the brain of the
speaker, rather than being defined by external authorities.
3. What is the primary problem with the statement "Every speaker of
a language has exactly the same grammar and vocabulary"?
A) It assumes everyone speaks a standard dialect.
B) It ignores that every speaker has slightly different rules and
vocabulary, known as idiolects.
C) It suggests that language is entirely innate.
D) It implies that mutual intelligibility is impossible.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An idiolect is the unique linguistic system of a single speaker.
While speakers share a lot, no two speakers have identical mental
grammars or vocabularies.
4. Norwegian and Danish are often considered separate languages
despite being mutually intelligible. What does this suggest about the
Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis?
A) It is the only valid way to define a language.
B) It is a perfect system for classifying all languages.
C) It is flawed because sociopolitical factors often override pure
linguistic intelligibility.
D) It proves that dialects do not exist.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Mutual Intelligibility Hypothesis suggests that if two
speakers can understand each other, they speak the same language.
However, Norwegian and Danish speakers can often understand each
other, yet they are distinct languages due to national identity and
political borders. Thus, the hypothesis is flawed as a sole criterion.
,5. Which language is noted for having approximately 40 mutually
unintelligible dialects, making it difficult to define as a single
monolithic language?
A) Arabic
B) Spanish
C) English
D) Mandarin
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Arabic is often described as a "macrolanguage." Due to the
vast differences between regional varieties (e.g., Moroccan Arabic vs.
Iraqi Arabic), they are often mutually unintelligible, functioning more
like separate languages in practice.
6. True or False: The Papua New Guinea varieties Lusi and Kove are
considered by their speakers to be the same language because their
grammar and vocabulary are almost identical.
A) True
B) False
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In some cases, speakers of different varieties (like Lusi and
Kove) consider themselves to speak different languages due to cultural
or social identity, even if linguistic intelligibility is high. Conversely, they
might consider distinct dialects the same language if they share an
identity.
7. True or False: The end points of a dialect continuum are easily
defined as separate languages.
A) True
B) False
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: A dialect continuum features a gradient of change over
geography. There is rarely a sharp line where one language ends and
another begins. The endpoints are often defined by political or social
boundaries, not purely linguistic ones.
8. True or False: Listening to how people speak along the Spain/France
border, there is no clear linguistic way to say exactly where Spanish
ends and French begins.
A) True
B) False
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: This describes a dialect continuum. The transition from one
language to another is gradual across the border region, so there is no
singular acoustic point where "Spanish stops" and "French starts."
9. Which of the following terms describes a situation where language
varies gradually across geographic space, with neighboring varieties
being intelligible but distant ones not being intelligible?
A) Dialect shock
B) Dialect continuum
C) Diglossia
D) Language isolate
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A dialect continuum is a range of dialects spoken across a
geographical area, with neighboring dialects differing slightly and
distant dialects differing significantly.
10. If a person speaks a language using rules they invented that no
one else understands, this violates which aspect of language?
A) It is systematic.
