Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
Question 1:
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of African indigenous languages?
A) Rich oral traditions
B) Widespread use of written literature
C) Use of tone and clicks
D) Influence of colonial languages
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Widespread use of written literature
Rationale: While many African languages have rich oral traditions, the widespread use
of written literature is less common compared to other world languages, particularly
due to historical factors.
Question 2:
Which linguistic feature is often associated with the structure of Bantu languages?
A) The absence of noun classes
B) A highly inflectional morphology
C) Use of auxiliary verbs only
D) SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) order
CORRECT ANSWER: B) A highly inflectional morphology
Rationale: Bantu languages are known for their complex noun class systems and a high
degree of inflectional morphology, which affects verb conjugation and noun forms.
Question 3:
In the context of African languages, what is 'code-switching'?
A) The use of the same language throughout a conversation
B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
C) A language that is no longer spoken
D) Translation of texts from one language to another
CORRECT ANSWER: B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
Rationale: Code-switching refers to the practice of alternating between two or more
languages or dialects in the context of a single conversation, often seen in multilingual
communities.
Question 4:
,Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
What role does storytelling play in African cultures?
A) It is primarily for entertainment
B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
C) It is discouraged in formal education
D) It only includes fictional tales
CORRECT ANSWER: B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
Rationale: Storytelling is a vital cultural practice used to transmit knowledge, history,
and values across generations, playing a critical role in the social fabric of many African
communities.
Question 1:
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of African indigenous languages?
A) Rich oral traditions
B) Widespread use of written literature
C) Use of tone and clicks
D) Influence of colonial languages
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Widespread use of written literature
Rationale: While many African languages have rich oral traditions, the widespread use
of written literature is less common compared to other world languages.
Question 2:
Which linguistic feature is often associated with the structure of Bantu languages?
A) The absence of noun classes
B) A highly inflectional morphology
C) Use of auxiliary verbs only
D) SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) order
CORRECT ANSWER: B) A highly inflectional morphology
Rationale: Bantu languages are known for their complex noun class systems and a high
degree of inflectional morphology.
Question 3:
In the context of African languages, what is 'code-switching'?
A) The use of the same language throughout a conversation
B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
,Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
C) A language that is no longer spoken
D) Translation of texts from one language to another
CORRECT ANSWER: B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
Rationale: Code-switching refers to the practice of alternating between languages in a
conversation, often seen in multilingual communities.
Question 4:
What role does storytelling play in African cultures?
A) It is primarily for entertainment
B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
C) It is discouraged in formal education
D) It only includes fictional tales
CORRECT ANSWER: B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
Rationale: Storytelling is a vital cultural practice used to transmit knowledge and values
across generations.
Question 5:
Which of the following best describes African Pidgin languages?
A) They are fully developed languages with rich grammar.
B) They are mixtures of indigenous languages and a colonial language.
C) They are no longer spoken in modern contexts.
D) They are primarily used in formal settings only.
CORRECT ANSWER: B) They are mixtures of indigenous languages and a colonial
language.
Rationale: African Pidgin languages often arise in contexts of trade and interaction,
blending local languages with colonial languages.
Question 6:
Which of the following is a prominent feature of the Hausa language?
A) Tone-based pronunciation
B) Use of clicks
C) Extensive use of proverbs
D) Complicated verb conjugation
, Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Extensive use of proverbs
Rationale: Hausa is known for its rich tradition of proverbs, which convey wisdom and
cultural values.
Question 7:
What is the significance of proverbs in African languages?
A) They are only used in poetry.
B) They often convey cultural values and social norms.
C) They are considered outdated.
D) They have no relevance in modern societies.
CORRECT ANSWER: B) They often convey cultural values and social norms.
Rationale: Proverbs serve as an important means of communication that reflect and
reinforce cultural beliefs and social codes.
Question 8:
Which of the following languages is part of the Khoisan language family?
A) Zulu
B) Xhosa
C) Bushman languages
D) Swahili
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Bushman languages
Rationale: Khoisan languages are spoken by the San people of Southern Africa and are
known for their unique click sounds.
Question 9:
What does linguistic imperialism refer to?
A) The spread of multiple languages in a region.
B) The dominance of one language over others, often due to political or economic
power.
C) The mixing of languages to create new dialects.
D) The preservation of indigenous languages.
CORRECT ANSWER: B) The dominance of one language over others, often due to
political or economic power.
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
Question 1:
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of African indigenous languages?
A) Rich oral traditions
B) Widespread use of written literature
C) Use of tone and clicks
D) Influence of colonial languages
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Widespread use of written literature
Rationale: While many African languages have rich oral traditions, the widespread use
of written literature is less common compared to other world languages, particularly
due to historical factors.
Question 2:
Which linguistic feature is often associated with the structure of Bantu languages?
A) The absence of noun classes
B) A highly inflectional morphology
C) Use of auxiliary verbs only
D) SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) order
CORRECT ANSWER: B) A highly inflectional morphology
Rationale: Bantu languages are known for their complex noun class systems and a high
degree of inflectional morphology, which affects verb conjugation and noun forms.
Question 3:
In the context of African languages, what is 'code-switching'?
A) The use of the same language throughout a conversation
B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
C) A language that is no longer spoken
D) Translation of texts from one language to another
CORRECT ANSWER: B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
Rationale: Code-switching refers to the practice of alternating between two or more
languages or dialects in the context of a single conversation, often seen in multilingual
communities.
Question 4:
,Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
What role does storytelling play in African cultures?
A) It is primarily for entertainment
B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
C) It is discouraged in formal education
D) It only includes fictional tales
CORRECT ANSWER: B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
Rationale: Storytelling is a vital cultural practice used to transmit knowledge, history,
and values across generations, playing a critical role in the social fabric of many African
communities.
Question 1:
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of African indigenous languages?
A) Rich oral traditions
B) Widespread use of written literature
C) Use of tone and clicks
D) Influence of colonial languages
CORRECT ANSWER: B) Widespread use of written literature
Rationale: While many African languages have rich oral traditions, the widespread use
of written literature is less common compared to other world languages.
Question 2:
Which linguistic feature is often associated with the structure of Bantu languages?
A) The absence of noun classes
B) A highly inflectional morphology
C) Use of auxiliary verbs only
D) SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) order
CORRECT ANSWER: B) A highly inflectional morphology
Rationale: Bantu languages are known for their complex noun class systems and a high
degree of inflectional morphology.
Question 3:
In the context of African languages, what is 'code-switching'?
A) The use of the same language throughout a conversation
B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
,Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
C) A language that is no longer spoken
D) Translation of texts from one language to another
CORRECT ANSWER: B) The combination of two or more languages in a conversation
Rationale: Code-switching refers to the practice of alternating between languages in a
conversation, often seen in multilingual communities.
Question 4:
What role does storytelling play in African cultures?
A) It is primarily for entertainment
B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
C) It is discouraged in formal education
D) It only includes fictional tales
CORRECT ANSWER: B) It serves as a means of preserving history and culture
Rationale: Storytelling is a vital cultural practice used to transmit knowledge and values
across generations.
Question 5:
Which of the following best describes African Pidgin languages?
A) They are fully developed languages with rich grammar.
B) They are mixtures of indigenous languages and a colonial language.
C) They are no longer spoken in modern contexts.
D) They are primarily used in formal settings only.
CORRECT ANSWER: B) They are mixtures of indigenous languages and a colonial
language.
Rationale: African Pidgin languages often arise in contexts of trade and interaction,
blending local languages with colonial languages.
Question 6:
Which of the following is a prominent feature of the Hausa language?
A) Tone-based pronunciation
B) Use of clicks
C) Extensive use of proverbs
D) Complicated verb conjugation
, Fall Semester 2025 UNISA Assignment: AFL1501 Language Through
an African Lens – Solved Assignment with Step-by-Step Answers,
Key Concepts & Exam Preparation Guide (Updated 2025 Edition)
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Extensive use of proverbs
Rationale: Hausa is known for its rich tradition of proverbs, which convey wisdom and
cultural values.
Question 7:
What is the significance of proverbs in African languages?
A) They are only used in poetry.
B) They often convey cultural values and social norms.
C) They are considered outdated.
D) They have no relevance in modern societies.
CORRECT ANSWER: B) They often convey cultural values and social norms.
Rationale: Proverbs serve as an important means of communication that reflect and
reinforce cultural beliefs and social codes.
Question 8:
Which of the following languages is part of the Khoisan language family?
A) Zulu
B) Xhosa
C) Bushman languages
D) Swahili
CORRECT ANSWER: C) Bushman languages
Rationale: Khoisan languages are spoken by the San people of Southern Africa and are
known for their unique click sounds.
Question 9:
What does linguistic imperialism refer to?
A) The spread of multiple languages in a region.
B) The dominance of one language over others, often due to political or economic
power.
C) The mixing of languages to create new dialects.
D) The preservation of indigenous languages.
CORRECT ANSWER: B) The dominance of one language over others, often due to
political or economic power.
