Grammar and Language Creation

What is the purpose of grammar in language?

• To communicate tiny variations in meaning

• To confuse foreign language students

• To make language complex and difficult

• To create word tricks

Is grammar complexity inherent only to the English language?

• Yes, only English has complex grammar

• No, all languages have clever grammatical components

• Only 'primitive' tribes have complex grammar

• Grammar complexity varies from language to language

What can the Cherokee pronoun system distinguish?

• 'You and I', 'several other people and I', and 'you, another person and I'

• 'You and I', 'you and several other people', and 'you and another person'

• 'You and I', 'several other people and you', and 'you, another person and I'

• 'You and I', 'several other people and you', and 'you, another person and you'

How can a pidgin language be described?

• A language with complex grammar

• A language with no grammar

• A language with limited vocabulary

• A language with multiple dialects

What is required for a pidgin to become a complex language?

• Exposure of children to the pidgin language

• Introduction of grammar rules by linguists

• Invention of new words by adults

• Development of multiple dialects

What are complex grammar systems that emerge from pidgins called?

• Creoles

• Dialects

• Pronouns

• Suffixes

What evidence supports the claim that sign languages have grammatical structures?

• They are a series of gestures without grammar

• They are only used by deaf people

• They are not considered languages

• They utilize the same grammatical machinery as spoken languages

How did the sign language in Nicaragua evolve?

• Deaf people learned it from their parents

• It was taught in schools for the deaf

• It was invented by linguists

• It developed naturally in the playgrounds

What is the term used for the sign language developed by children in Nicaragua?

• Pidgin

• Creole

• Dialect

• Gestural language

What is the difference between the sign language of older children and younger children in Nicaragua?

• Older children used more gestures

• Younger children used more gestures

• Older children had a consistent grammar

• Younger children had a consistent grammar