ENG506 Midterm Past Papers

Q. Comprehensibility

Involves:

Assigning meaning to utterances

Q. Factors which cause variation in language (imp)

i. Demographic factor ii. Geographical factor iii. Authoritative factor iv. Codification v. Acceptability factor

Q. Evidence against baby talk? (imp)

Pidgins are far more frequently used among non-Europeans than between Europeans and non-Europeans.

Q. Name of the countries where preferred variety of British English is used.

North America (USA and Canada), Australia,

South Africa

Q. Interoperability

Q. Communicative competence

Communicative competence is a term in linguistics which refers to a language user's grammatical knowledge of syntax, morphology, phonology and the like, as well as social knowledge about how and when to use utterances appropriately.

Q. Process of the creolization (imp)

Most pidgins are lingua francas, existing to meet temporary local needs

Very few pidgins undergo the process of creolisation.

Q. Functions and use of articles?

A singular countable noun must be preceded by an article a/an: with a singular countable noun indicates the generic nature of the noun

A horse runs very fast. The: with both singular and plural countable nouns indicate the specific nature of the noun The boys are naughty. They boys is tall.

With mass nouns to indicate the specific nature of the noun

Q. Misunderstandings about the success of English as an international language.

Perceived aesthetic qualities Clarity of expression Literary power Religious influence Simple structure and grammar

Q. Global vs. standard language

Global language: A language achieves a global status when it develops a special role recognized in every country.

Standard Language: The form of the English language widely accepted as the usual correct form

Q. Lexifer

Q. Name three types of intelligeblities (imp)

i. Intelligibility. ii. iii.

Q. Define a 'native speaker' in your own words

The monolingual tenet was central to the colonial agenda It marginalizes the English language learners and privileges native speakers Extends the colonial agenda of economic exploitation and cultural domination.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of reconceptulization?

• MES is less favorable than BES
• BES removes the distinction between L1 and L2 speakers of English

Determining the difference between bilingual and non-bilingual competence

Q. Write about Conflation of Consonants?

The process of reducing inflected words to their word stem, base or root form. Examples (Caribbean Creoles) /t/ = /θ/ /d/ = /ð/ /tʃ/ = /ʃ/ Examples (Pacific Pidgin: Tok Pisin Creoles)

/f/ = /p/ friend = pren /s/, / ʃ / = /tʃ/

Q. Note of Kachru Inner Circle?

This classification is in accordance with the three-way categorization of ENL, ESL and EFL. Inner circle includes the following countries:

USA UK Canada Australia

English reached these countries as a result of its first diaspora Diaspora The movement or migration of a group of people away from their established or ancestral homeland English diaspora First diaspora English speakers from Britain carried the language to Australia, New Zealand, and North America. They established substantial settlements and displaced the indigenous population Features of the inner circle

Traditional monolingual native speakers of English are found English is the first and sometimes the only language Dominant culture is based around English.

Q. Contact literature?

Contact with non-Western cultures and languages enables English to express new linguistic and cultural functions. Nativized varieties of English are produced through contact of English with new cultures and surrounding languages. The literature written in distinctive varieties of English is often called contact literature. As English becomes institutionalized in nations that do not share its Western cultural traditions, the language is broadening. Beliefs of contact literature writers

Some aspects of non-English culture is inexpressible in English. Cultural material in contact literature stretches or reshapes the expressive qualities of English. Provides an exposure to the literary effort of international writers.

Q. Define Creole?

The word comes from the Portuguese word ‘criar’ meaning ‘to nurse’, ‘breed’, ‘bring up’ Pidgins gave rise to Creole English. A pidgin that has become the first language of a new generation of speakers is called Creole. Creoles arise when pidgins become mother tongues. Creole. It has native speakers (the children learn the pidgin as their first language)

Process of creolization

Opposed to the process of pidginization Used for a wide range of functions Has a larger vocabulary

Q. Internal factors?

Lexicon