The Language Origin Quiz! Trivia Facts
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What do you know about language origin? Do you imagine you can get past this quiz? Language origin is often challenging for one to study because of the shortage of direct evidence. There are, however, conjectures from other kinds of evidence, including the fossil record, archeological evidence, contemporary language, diversity, studies of language acquisition. See how much you know about language origin by taking this quiz.
- 1.
Which African country's name means "House of Stones"?
- A.
Mozambique
- B.
Namibia
- C.
Eritrea
- D.
Zimbabwe
Correct Answer
D. ZimbabweExplanation
Zimbabwe is the correct answer because the country's name translates to "House of Stones" in the Shona language. This name refers to the ancient stone structures found in the country, such as the Great Zimbabwe ruins, which were built during the medieval period. These stone structures are renowned for their architectural significance and historical importance, making Zimbabwe an apt name for the country.Rate this question:
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- 2.
The word "tycoon" originates from which language's word for "great commander"?
- A.
Greek
- B.
Dutch
- C.
Japanese
- D.
Hindi
Correct Answer
C. JapaneseExplanation
The word "tycoon" originates from the Japanese word for "great commander." This term was used to describe powerful and influential individuals, typically in the business or political world. The word has since been adopted into the English language to refer to a wealthy and successful entrepreneur or businessperson.Rate this question:
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- 3.
The word "honcho" originates from which language's word for "chief"?
- A.
Spanish
- B.
Manx
- C.
Japanese
- D.
Swahili
Correct Answer
C. JapaneseExplanation
The word "honcho" originates from the Japanese word for "chief". In Japanese, "honcho" means "leader" or "head person". This term was adopted into English during the American occupation of Japan after World War II. It is commonly used to refer to someone in charge or a person with authority.Rate this question:
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- 4.
According to a 2009 study, how many languages have over 1 million living speakers?
- A.
831
- B.
555
- C.
389
- D.
124
Correct Answer
C. 389Explanation
According to a 2009 study, there are 389 languages that have over 1 million living speakers.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Which of the following is a verb-subject-object language?
- A.
Spanish
- B.
Greek
- C.
Arabic
- D.
Hebrew
Correct Answer
D. HebrewExplanation
Hebrew is a verb-subject-object language. This means that the typical word order in Hebrew sentences is verb followed by subject followed by object. In this language, the verb usually comes first, indicating the action or state, followed by the subject who performs the action, and then the object who receives the action. This distinguishes Hebrew from other languages like Spanish, Greek, and Arabic, which may have different word orders or sentence structures.Rate this question:
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- 6.
As of 2012, what is the most populous country where Arabic is an official language?
- A.
Egypt
- B.
Iraq
- C.
Algeria
- D.
Sudan
Correct Answer
A. EgyptExplanation
Egypt is the most populous country where Arabic is an official language as of 2012. This can be determined by looking at the population data of each country. Egypt has the highest population among the given options, making it the correct answer.Rate this question:
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- 7.
As of 2012, what is the least populous country where Russian is an official language?
- A.
Kazakhstan
- B.
Tajikistan
- C.
Belarus
- D.
Kyrgyzstan
Correct Answer
D. KyrgyzstanExplanation
Kyrgyzstan is the correct answer because as of 2012, it is the least populous country where Russian is an official language. This means that among the given options, Kyrgyzstan has the smallest population while also having Russian as one of its official languages.Rate this question:
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- 8.
As of 2012, which country besides India lists Hindi as an official language?
- A.
Pakistan
- B.
Bangladesh
- C.
Fiji
- D.
Maldives
Correct Answer
C. FijiExplanation
Fiji is the correct answer because as of 2012, besides India, Fiji also lists Hindi as an official language. This means that Hindi is recognized and used in official government functions and documents in Fiji.Rate this question:
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- 9.
The first written instance of ancient Greek dates back to around which date BCE?
- A.
600
- B.
1000
- C.
1400
- D.
1800
Correct Answer
C. 1400Explanation
The correct answer is 1400. This is because the first written instance of ancient Greek dates back to around the 14th century BCE. This period is known as the Mycenaean period, during which the Greeks developed a writing system called Linear B. This system was used to write administrative and economic records, providing valuable insights into the early Greek civilization.Rate this question:
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- 10.
The first written instance of Old English dates back to around which date?
- A.
300
- B.
650
- C.
950
- D.
50
Correct Answer
B. 650Explanation
The first written instance of Old English dates back to around 650. This means that there is evidence of written texts in the English language from this time period. It is important to note that this does not mean that Old English did not exist before this date, but rather that this is the earliest known written evidence of it. This helps historians and linguists understand the development and evolution of the English language over time.Rate this question:
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- 11.
In the sentence "it is raining", the word "it" is which of the following?
- A.
A Dummy Word
- B.
A Transitional Word
- C.
A Linking Word
- D.
A Base Word
Correct Answer
A. A Dummy WordExplanation
In the sentence "it is raining", the word "it" is classified as a dummy word. A dummy word is used as a placeholder or a subject pronoun when the actual subject is not explicitly stated. In this case, "it" is used to refer to the weather or the act of raining, even though it does not have a specific referent. It is a grammatical tool used to fulfill the syntactic requirements of the sentence.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Which English letter's sound is an affricate?
- A.
X
- B.
O
- C.
J
- D.
R
Correct Answer
C. JExplanation
The letter J's sound is an affricate. An affricate is a consonant sound that begins as a plosive (a complete blockage of airflow) and ends as a fricative (partial blockage of airflow). In the case of the letter J, it is pronounced as a combination of the sounds /dʒ/. This sound can be heard at the beginning of words like "jump" and "jam."Rate this question:
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Current Version
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Mar 20, 2023Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
May 14, 2015Quiz Created by
Cambronbill3
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