Language and Thought Questions and Answers

Answer: D

For Vygotsky, language and thought are complex interrelated processes of development.

In Thought and Language, Vygotsky argued that thought and speech have different roots but merge at around two years, when thought becomes verbal and speech rational. Social speech becomes private speech and then inner speech, which in turn shapes thinking. The two develop in continuous interaction.

Saying language does not shape thought, or that the two are independent, contradicts this. 'Thought shapes language' is closer to Piaget's position, in which cognitive development drives language, not Vygotsky's.

Answer: B

A register is a set of linguistic forms used in a given social situation, such as legal or medical language. Jargon is the special vocabulary of a profession, and slang is informal language. The answer is register, option B.

A register varies with the field, the tenor and the mode of communication, so legal English differs from the English of a chat. Language is the whole system, jargon is vocabulary of a trade and slang is informal, group-marked speech, so none is the set of forms for one situation.

Answer: C

Major discourse types include narration, description, exposition and argument, and these are found in conversation and interview. Diary writing is a form of personal writing and, as the key has it, does not come under a major discourse. The answer is option C.

Narration, description, exposition and argumentation are the four commonly named types of discourse, while a diary is a personal writing genre.

Answer: A

The key gives that multilingualism in India is sustained by social institutions. Schools, media, religious institutions and communities keep many languages in use side by side.

The other statements are wrong: multilingualism is not the result of anti-social activism, linguistic features do not erase state boundaries, and India's multilingualism is not described as tripolar.

Answer: B

The incorrect statement is that content learning is a prerequisite for language learning. Language across the curriculum holds that language learning goes on through all subjects, so content and language are learned together.

The other three statements describe the approach correctly.

In Language Across the Curriculum, language is learned and used in all subjects, so language competence develops along with content and the two are not in a fixed order.

Answer: C

Language is the subject through which one acquires knowledge and also organises thoughts and ideas for effective communication. It is the tool of thinking and expression.

Social studies, science and mathematics are content subjects that depend on language.

Language is needed to describe, reason and communicate in every subject, so the key names it as the most essential subject.