Definition, scope, and history MCQs 50 Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What is the primary focus of linguistic anthropology? (A) The study of plants and animals (B) The study of human language and its relationship with culture and society (C) The study of physical geography (D) The study of ancient architecture 2. Which of the following best defines linguistic anthropology? (A) Analysis of computer languages (B) Study of written literature only (C) Examination of how language shapes communication, identity, and social life (D) Translation of texts only 3. Linguistic anthropology is a subfield of: (A) Physics (B) Anthropology (C) Political Science (D) Geology 4. The scope of linguistic anthropology includes: (A) Language evolution, social interaction, and cultural meaning (B) Only grammar rules (C) Space exploration (D) Chemical reactions 5. Who is considered one of the founding figures of linguistic anthropology? (A) Franz Boas (B) Isaac Newton (C) Charles Darwin (D) Max Planck 6. Which concept is central to linguistic anthropology? (A) Language as a cultural resource (B) Language as a mathematical formula (C) Language as a non-human tool (D) Language as only written text 7. The historical development of linguistic anthropology is closely linked to: (A) Ethnographic fieldwork and cultural studies (B) Astronomy research (C) Geological mapping (D) Industrial engineering 8. Linguistic anthropology helps understand: (A) How people use language in daily life and rituals (B) Only ancient scripts (C) Non-verbal dance forms only (D) Technical machine codes 9. Which 20th-century linguist developed the concept of âspeech communityâ? (A) Dell Hymes (B) Sigmund Freud (C) Albert Einstein (D) Gregor Mendel 10. The scope of linguistic anthropology also includes: (A) Language documentation and preservation (B) Only archaeology (C) Only visual art (D) Metallurgical processes 11. What is the primary method used in linguistic anthropology? (A) Ethnographic fieldwork and participant observation (B) Chemical analysis (C) Mathematical modeling only (D) Astronomical surveys 12. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is related to: (A) Linguistic relativity and how language influences thought (B) The origin of physical anthropology (C) Evolutionary biology (D) Climate change 13. Which language feature is often analyzed in linguistic anthropology? (A) Phonetics, syntax, and semantics (B) Atomic numbers (C) Geometric patterns (D) Mineral compositions 14. Linguistic anthropology emerged as a discipline in: (A) Late 19th and early 20th century (B) 15th century (C) 21st century only (D) Ancient Rome 15. Franz Boas contributed to linguistic anthropology by: (A) Emphasizing the study of native languages to understand culture (B) Inventing new alphabets (C) Developing only economic theories (D) Ignoring oral traditions 16. The scope of linguistic anthropology includes the study of: (A) Oral traditions, folklore, and storytelling (B) Only written constitutions (C) Machinery parts (D) Planetary systems 17. Which term refers to the scientific description of languages? (A) Descriptive linguistics (B) Symbolic logic (C) Physical geology (D) Cultural geography 18. Linguistic anthropology differs from general linguistics because it: (A) Focuses on the cultural and social context of language (B) Ignores meaning (C) Only studies grammar textbooks (D) Avoids interaction with communities 19. What is the goal of language revitalization in linguistic anthropology? (A) To preserve endangered languages and promote their use (B) To eliminate old dialects (C) To create artificial languages only (D) To replace oral cultures with writing 20. Edward Sapir was known for: (A) Studying Native American languages and cultural patterns (B) Designing fashion garments (C) Developing rocket science (D) Creating musical notations 21. Which branch of anthropology is most closely related to linguistic anthropology? (A) Cultural anthropology (B) Forensic anthropology (C) Biological anthropology (D) Paleontology 22. A central question in linguistic anthropology is: (A) How does language shape identity and power relations? (B) How do machines produce sound? (C) How are rocks classified? (D) How does farming influence soil? 23. Historical linguistics focuses on: (A) Language change and evolution over time (B) Plant genetics (C) Urban planning (D) Animal domestication 24. Which of the following is an example of language ideology studied in linguistic anthropology? (A) Beliefs about what is considered a âproperâ or âcorrectâ language (B) Rules of geometry (C) Tax laws (D) Cooking recipes 25. The concept of âcode-switchingâ means: (A) Alternating between languages or dialects in conversation (B) Writing in binary code only (C) Changing keyboard layouts (D) Translating into sign language only 26. The scope of linguistic anthropology also deals with: (A) Multilingualism and language contact (B) Purely mathematical analysis (C) Urban infrastructure (D) Financial stock markets 27. In linguistic anthropology, what does ethnolinguistics study? (A) The relationship between language and culture (B) Geological processes (C) Mathematical equations (D) Technical engineering codes 28. Which famous linguist argued for the universality of grammar? (A) Noam Chomsky (B) Claude LĂ©vi-Strauss (C) BronisĆaw Malinowski (D) Margaret Mead 29. Malinowski emphasized language as: (A) A tool for practical communication in context (B) A meaningless system of symbols (C) A rigid and unchanging entity (D) A purely aesthetic expression 30. The history of linguistic anthropology is tied to: (A) Documentation of indigenous and endangered languages (B) Discovery of planets (C) Industrial manufacturing (D) Political campaigning 31. Linguistic anthropology also examines: (A) Power, identity, and inequality through language use (B) Only the dictionary meanings of words (C) Agricultural production (D) Construction materials 32. What does discourse analysis in linguistic anthropology study? (A) How language is used in social interaction and communication (B) Atomic structures (C) Currency fluctuations (D) Road networks 33. Which writing system is among the oldest known? (A) Cuneiform (B) Roman alphabet (C) Arabic numerals (D) Braille 34. The term âlingua francaâ refers to: (A) A common language used for communication between groups (B) A language with no speakers (C) A regional dialect only (D) A formal ceremonial speech 35. Which anthropologist introduced the concept of âspeech eventâ? (A) Dell Hymes (B) BronisĆaw Malinowski (C) Edward Sapir (D) Ferdinand de Saussure 36. Saussure is known for distinguishing between: (A) Langue (system) and parole (speech) (B) Written and printed books (C) Oral and visual arts (D) Rural and urban cultures 37. What is the purpose of linguistic fieldwork? (A) To collect data on how languages are spoken and used (B) To build physical structures (C) To test scientific instruments (D) To record weather changes 38. The scope of linguistic anthropology includes language and: (A) Social norms, rituals, and belief systems (B) Car manufacturing (C) Rocket design (D) Road surveying 39. What is an endangered language? (A) A language at risk of falling out of use (B) A language spoken by billions (C) A secret code used by governments (D) A programming language 40. Which early 20th-century approach viewed language as a key to understanding culture? (A) Boasian anthropology (B) Neolithic studies (C) Industrial sociology (D) Environmental engineering 41. Pragmatics in linguistic anthropology deals with: (A) Meaning in context and language use (B) Word spelling only (C) Statistical graphs (D) Fabric weaving 42. The history of writing systems is a concern of: (A) Historical linguistics and linguistic anthropology (B) Space exploration (C) Economic forecasting (D) Meteorology 43. Which regionâs indigenous languages were heavily studied by early linguistic anthropologists? (A) North America (B) Antarctica (C) Sahara Desert (D) Arctic Ocean floor 44. Sociolinguistics overlaps with linguistic anthropology by focusing on: (A) Language variation and social factors (B) Cellular structures (C) Geological mapping (D) Astronomical measurements 45. Which method is crucial for preserving unwritten languages? (A) Audio and video documentation (B) Satellite imaging (C) Soil sampling (D) Currency analysis 46. Language ideology is important because it: (A) Shapes attitudes toward different languages and dialects (B) Determines physical climate (C) Regulates chemical reactions (D) Influences sports performance 47. Which aspect is NOT a focus of linguistic anthropology? (A) Syntax, phonology, and semantics in cultural context (B) Social power expressed through language (C) Ancient rituals related to speech (D) Building nuclear reactors 48. Pidgin languages typically arise due to: (A) Contact between speakers of different native languages (B) Geological movements (C) Economic inflation (D) Animal breeding 49. The history of linguistic anthropology reveals its close connection to: (A) Colonial and post-colonial studies (B) Chemical laboratory work (C) Computer engineering (D) Road construction 50. Linguistic anthropology contributes to cultural understanding by: (A) Analyzing how language shapes identity, tradition, and change (B) Eliminating oral traditions (C) Promoting uniform global language (D) Ignoring community voices  1. Foundations of Linguistic Anthropology MCQsDefinition, scope, and history MCQsLanguage vs. communication MCQsHuman language vs. animal communication MCQsKey figures in linguistic anthropology MCQs2. Language Structure MCQsPhonetics and Phonology MCQsMorphology MCQsSyntax MCQsSemantics MCQsPragmatics MCQs3. Language Acquisition and Socialization MCQsFirst language acquisition MCQsSecond language acquisition MCQsLanguage learning in cultural context MCQsEnculturation through language MCQs4. Language, Culture, and Thought MCQsSapirâWhorf hypothesis (linguistic relativity) MCQsLanguage and worldview MCQsEthnosemantics and ethnoscience MCQsMetaphor and cognition MCQs5. Sociolinguistics in Anthropology MCQsLanguage and identity MCQsMultilingualism and diglossia MCQsCode-switching and code-mixing MCQsGender and language use MCQsSocial class, ethnicity, and speech variation MCQs6. Discourse and Performance MCQsNarrative analysis MCQsSpeech acts and pragmatics MCQsVerbal art and performance MCQsConversation analysis MCQs7. Historical and Comparative Linguistics MCQsLanguage families and classification MCQsLanguage change and evolution MCQsComparative method in anthropology MCQsLanguage contact, pidgins, and creoles MCQs8. Writing Systems and Literacy MCQsOrigins of writing MCQsTypes of writing systems (logographic, syllabic, alphabetic) MCQsLiteracy and power MCQsOral vs. literate traditions MCQs9. Language and Power MCQsLanguage and politics MCQsHegemony and resistance through language MCQsIdeologies of language MCQsLanguage policy and planning MCQs10. Applied Linguistic Anthropology MCQsEndangered languages and revitalization MCQsForensic linguistics in anthropology MCQsLanguage in education and law MCQsGlobalization and linguistic diversity MCQs