Directions:

2. Refer to the Current Issues box titled "Can Languages Be Kept From Extinction?" (p. 72). What percentage of languages are in danger of being lost?

3. Describe the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. How does English shape our way of thinking?

4. What are the stages of the acquisition of language by children? Why do children all over the world tend to progress in the same stages at the same ages?

5. In your own words, describe morphs, morphemes, phones, and phonemes. Analyze some words not used in the text as an example.

6. To understand historical linguistics a little better, refer to this list of words that are similar to the other languages in the Muskogee language family. If we assume that oldest words in a language are those shared by others in a language family, we can make assumptions the earlier life and geography of a people. The Florida Seminole share these words with others in their language family. Look at the list and describe where the Seminole might have lived previously and what their culture might have been like.

7. Read the Karok story of the Greedy Father. When you read the story think about the moral the story teaches. Native Americans and others use language to transmit their values for correct behavior from generation to generation. When the Karok tell this story to their children, what are they teaching them?

8. GENDER IN LANGUAGE Consider the following sentences. Put F beside those you think were said by a woman, M beside those you think could have been said by a man and M/F beside those you think could have been said by either.

a. Close the door	F M Both
b. That's an adorable dog.	F M Both
c. Oh dear, the T V set's broken.	F M Both
d. I'll be damned, there's a friend of mine!	F M Both
e. I was very tired.	F M Both
f. Won't you please get me that pencil?	F M Both
g. They did the right thing, didn't they?	F M Both
h. You're damned right.	F M Both
I. I was just exhausted.	F M Both
J. My goodness, there's the Prime Minister.	F M Both
k. I was so mad.	F M Both
l. Damn it, I've lost my keys.	F M Both

9. What do you think accounts for the differences in female and male speech in the above question (question 8)?

10. Different language-speakers use different words to mimic what sounds other animals make. Do this exercise first in your own language. Then ask someone who speaks a different language to tell you what that animal says. Write it down as best you can, using what you already know about sounding our words to spell in your own language. Are they alike or different?

The sound an animal makes in your language (e.g. pig; English: oink oink)
The sound an animal makes in another language. Also, state the name of the language)

Write a sentence in your language for the animal sound, e.g. 'Pigs go oink oink'
Try to write the sentence used in the other language. Ask for a translation.

Now visit the Sounds of the World's Animals Website. Did your answer agree with the one listed there? What did you learn? If you like, make a contribution to the page with your own answer.