CHAPTER 6- - - LANGUAGE KEY ISSUE 1
What are languages, and what role do languages play in cultures?
De Blij, 172-182
● What Should I Say? (Field Note – Belgium)
1. According to the Field Note, what were some of the things that perplexed the author while traveling in Brussels,
Belgium?
2. Why is language such a major and divisive issue in Belgium, particularly in Brussels?
3. What is “Frenchification?”
a. What was the reaction of the Flemish speaking Belgians?
b. What resulted in 1960?
4. Identify at least 2 issues that developed in Belgium as a result of the
division of Belgium based on linguistic lines.
a.
b.
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5. Use the map on the right, to show the Flemish, French & German language regions of Belgium. Be
sure to include a key and identify the area of Flanders, Wallonia & Brussels (with your colors). Include a
key.
6. A language is a set of _________________ and __________________ that is used for _______________________.
But language is also an integral part of ______________________, ______________________, and shaping it.
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
7. According to the text, language is so closely tied to culture that it is used as a weapon in cultural conflict and political
strife. Using the chart below identify how the United States & Canada (Quebec) have dealt with foreign languages.
UNITED STATES
QUEBEC, CANADA
Controversial
Language
Primary Issue(s)
Effects
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8. Using table 6.1 (Top 10 Non-English Languages Spoken at Home in the USA), which of the top-10 languages surprises
you, and why?
WHAT IS A LANGUAGE?
9. Define mutual intelligibility:
10. What are 2 issues with mutual intelligibility? (please provide an example for each)
ISSUES WITH MUTUAL INTELLIGIBILITY
EXAMPLE(S)
11. Given the complexities of distinguishing languages from dialects. The actual number of languages in use in the world
remains a matter of considerable debate. The most conservative calculation is about ________________. However,
most linguists and linguistic geographers today recognize between _______________ & _______________ languages,
including more than 600 in ______________ & over ___________________ in Africa.
STANDARDIZED LANGUAGE
12. Technologically advanced societies are likely to have a ___________________________________, one that is
published, widely distributed, and purposefully taught.
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14. The decision between who decides what the standard languages will be is based on ________________________ &
_________________________.
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13. How does Ireland promote the use of the Irish (Celtic) language?
15. In the chart below, describe how the following countries have dealt with the issue of deciding a standard language.
FRANCE
CHINA
DIALECTS
16. Define dialects:
17. Define dialect chains:
18. Language is actually an __________________ for a collection of _____________________, and we tend to see one
of these dialects as the “true” _____________________________ only because it is one we speak or because it is the
one a _______________________________ claims as the standard.
19. Frequently, ____________________ are marked by actual differences in __________________________. A
___________________________ or group of words can reveal the source area of the __________________________.
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19. Define isogloss:
20. Use the map below to reflect Bert Vaux’s research on how dialects impact soft drink names in the United States. Use
pg. 181 & be sure to include a key for your map.
CHAPTER 6- - - LANGUAGE KEY ISSUE 2
Why are languages distributed the way they are?
De Blij, 182-192
1.Define language families:
2. Define sub-families:
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3. According to the text, why is defining a language family a challenge?
4. According to the “Language Families of the World” map on pgs. 182-183, based on the language families below,
identify/list the various areas/regions of the world where the language family is most dominant.
INDO-EUROPEAN
AMERINDIAN
NIGER-CONGO
URALIC
SINO-TIBETAN
AFRO-ASIATIC
ALTAIC
AUSTRONESIAN
LANGUAGE FORMATION
5. One way to find and chart similarities among _________________________ is to examine particular words, looking
for sound shifts over time and across languages. A sound shift is:
6. How do linguists use sound shifts in terms of knowing that Italian, Spanish & French are all members of the Romance
language subfamily of the Indo-European language family?
7. What is the significance of the discovery of a Proto-Indo-European language?
8. What is the Nostratic language & its overall significance?
10. Define language convergence:
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9. Define language divergence:
11. Using the Tree Map on pg. 186, please identify any 5 language sub-families from the Indo-European branches of the
language tree.
* Romance
*
*
*
*
12. When studying the diffusion of Proto-Indo-European, what are 2 conclusions that result?
13. In the chart below, distinguish between the 3 most common theories of Proto-Indo European diffusion.
Conquest Theory
Agricultural Theory
Dispersal Hypothesis
14. For the maps below, use pg, 188 identify the hearth & path of diffusion of each of the following theories.
DISPERSAL HYPOTHESIS
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AGRICULTURAL THEORY
THE LANGUAGES OF EUROPE
15. In the chart below, identify the languages of each of the Subfamilies (European language) and describe their origins.
GERMANIC
SLAVIC
ORIGINS/HISTORY
LANGUAGES
ROMANCE
16. In the chart below, list the major languages within each of the following subfamilies.
URALIC
ALTAIC
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LANGUAGES
CELTIC
17. In the chart below, answer the following regarding the mini-case study of the Basque language, Euskera.
Location
Origins
Political Recognition
EUSKERA
Color Location of Basque
Country
LANGUAGES OF SUBSAHARAN AFRICA
18. Shade in the map of Africa, based on the various language
families of Africa. Be sure to include a key
19. Which is the most dominant language family?
20. Which family has the oldest languages of Subsaharan Africa?
21. How many languages are spoken in Nigeria?
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23. Since 1962, which is the official language of Nigeria?
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22. Which are the 3 most prominent languages in Nigeria?
CHAPTER 6- - - LANGUAGE KEY ISSUE 3
How do languages diffuse?
De Blij, 192-196
1. Over 2,000 years ago, which 2 languages were the easiest to diffuse around the world? How was this possible?
2. Which invention led to an increase in literacy and a stabilization of certain languages in Europe?
3. ___________________ & ______________________ stimulate the formation of new, hybrid languages to facilitate
such interaction, but other, local languages collapse under the onslaught of change.
4. _______________________________ is shrinking the world’s linguistic heritage. Half of the world’s _____________
languages are _________________________________. Most languages are lost because one group dominates another
and the dominant language is privileged, which is
_________________________________________________________________________________________________.
5. Using pg. 195, please color in the following map of
India based on the language families that exist in the
country. Please create a key.
5a. Based on the evidence from the map, what
challenges might be evident based on the diversity of
languages families in India?
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5b. What did the government of India do in order to offer recognition and provide balance for all the languages spoken
in the country?
6. In the chart below, provide a definition and several examples to the terms below.
TERM
DEFINITION
EXAMPLES (AT LEAST 2)
LINGUA FRANCA
PIDGIN LANGUAGE
MONOLINGUAL
STATES
MULTILINGUAL
STATES
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
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GLOBAL
LANGUAGE
CHAPTER 6- - - LANGUAGE KEY ISSUE 4
What role does language play in making places?
De Blij, 197-201
1.Define toponym:
2. According to the textbook, which are the 10 types of toponyms? Provide an example for each.
3. In the chart below, provide several examples that address the changing toponyms that are found in the world.
CHANGING TOPONYM REASON
EXAMPLE(S)
POSTCOLONIAL TOPONYMS
POSTREVOLUTION TOPONYMS
MEMORIAL TOPONYMS
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COMMODIFICATION TOPONYMS