Q&A Hero

Q: Which of the following statements about sociolinguists is NOT true? A. They are concerned more with performance than with competence. B. They look at society and at language. C. They are concerned with linguistic change. D. They focus on surface structure. E. They are more interested in the rules that govern language than the actual use of language in everyday life.

Q: What is the term for variations in speech due to different contexts or situations? A. linguistic confusion B. situational syntax C. contextual phonetics D. Chomskian verbosity E. style shifting

Q: Culturalincluding linguisticdiversity is alive, well, and thriving in many countries. Local entrepreneurs and international companies such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft that capitalize on that diversity are positioned to succeed. Their success depends, however, in large part on A. their ability to creatively impose their product on others. B. their capacity to take a biocultural approach to marketing. C. external market forces that have little to do with people's cultural, including linguistic, preferences. D. their ability to hire workers from the markets they hope to enter and teach them the values of their corporate culture. E. their capacity to follow one of the main lessons of applied anthropology, that external inputs fit best when tailored properly to local settings.

Q: What term refers to the existence of "high" and "low" dialects within a single language? A. displacement B. diglossia C. semantics D. kinesics E. lexicon

Q: What type of term is used to convey or imply a status difference between the speaker and the person being referred to or addressed? A. formal addresses, but sociolinguists rarely pay attention to them, because their use in a social situation is always a result of linguistic exploitation B. honorifics C. style shifts D. diglossia E. linguistic relational

Q: What is an example of what Bourdieu calls symbolic domination in the context of language use? A. in an egalitarian society, the promotion of linguistic diversity B. pride in one's linguistic heritage, regardless of what the majority thinks C. the fact that in a stratified society, even people who do not speak the prestige dialect tend to accept it as standard or superior D. focal vocabulary contrasts among groups E. Chomsky's insistence that the universal grammar defines all culture

Q: When does copula deletion (absence of the verb "to be") occur in AAVE? A. where SE has contractions B. randomly C. in the past tense D. in the future tense E. in SE, not AAVE

Q: What term refers to languages that have descended from the same ancestral language? A. F2 languages B. sibling languages C. daughter languages D. brother languages E. protolanguages

Q: What is pidgin? A. a partial language that results from primitive tribes' attempts to learn the language of a modern industrialized state B. a mixed language that develops to ease communication between members of different cultures in contact, usually in situations of trade or colonial domination C. a rhythmic sublanguage present in any human language as the result of a universally shared mutation D. a set of languages believed to be most like the original human language, spoken by a small population of Indian Ocean islanders E. metalanguage, developed by computer programmers, that has yielded valuable insights into the workings of the human brain

Q: One aspect of linguistic history is language loss. When a language disappears, A. less strain is put on the educational system, because it has less language diversity to deal with. B. historical linguists have confirmation that language is also a victim of evolutionary forces. C. so does pride in one's heritage. D. cultural diversity is reduced as well. E. humanity is that much closer to global integration.

Q: Words that clearly descend from the same ancestral word are known as A. synonyms. B. subgroups. C. homonyms. D. cognates. E. daughters.

Q: Animal call systems exhibit linguistic productivity.

Q: What is the term for the ability to create new expressions by combining other expressions? A. displacement B. diglossia C. productivity D. morphemic utility E. phonemic utility

Q: Recent research on the origins of language suggests that a key mutation might have something to do with it. Comparing chimp and human genomes, it appears that A. chimps lack the tongue-rolling gene that all humans have, which might explain why they struggle to achieve clear speech. B. chimps share with humans all the genetic propensities for language but lack the language-activation mutation. C. a speech-friendly mutation occurred among Neandertals in Europe and spread to other human populations through gene flow. D. the speech-friendly form of FOXP2 took hold in humans some 150,000 years ago, thus conferring selective advantages (linguistic and cultural abilities) that allowed those who had it to spread it, at the expense of those who did not. E. the speech mutation occurred even before the hominin line split from the rest of the hominids.

Q: Language and communication involve much more than just verbal speech. The study of communication through body movements, stances, gestures, and facial expressions is known as A. linguistic physiology. B. biosemantics. C. kinesics. D. protolinguistics. E. diglossia.

Q: Linguistic anthropologists also are interested in investigating the structure of language and how it varies across time and space. What is the study of the forms in which sounds combine to form words? A. phonology B. syntax C. morphology D. lexicon E. grammar

Q: The lexicon of a language is A. a dictionary containing all of its morphemes and their meanings. B. its degree of complexity. C. the set of rules that govern the written but not spoken language. D. its symbolic and poetic value. E. the range of speech sounds.

Q: What term refers to the arrangement and order of words into sentences? A. syntax B. lexicon C. grammar D. phonology E. morphology

Q: What are phonemes? A. the rules by which deep structure is translated into surface structure B. regional differences in dialect C. syntactical structures that distinguish passive constructions from active ones D. the minimal sound contrasts that distinguish meaning in a language E. electromagnetic signals that carry messages between speakers in a telephone conversation

Q: What is the study of the sounds used in speech? A. phones B. phonemes C. phonology D. phonetics E. phonemics

Q: Which of the following was studied by Sapir and Whorf? A. the interaction of thought and surface structure B. the influence of language on thought C. the influence of deep structure on surface structure D. the influence of deep structure on semantic domains E. the influence of culture on language

Q: Just as in other areas of anthropology, the study of language involves investigating what is or isn't shared across human populations and why these differences or similarities exist. The linguist Noam Chomsky has argued that the human brain contains a limited set of rules for organizing language, so that all languages have a common structural basis. He calls this set of rules A. the evolutionary linguistic imprint. B. linguistic structuralism. C. generalities. D. a global mental map. E. the universal grammar.

Q: Sapir and Whorf argued that the grammatical categories of different languages lead their speakers to think about things in particular ways. However, studies on the differences between female and male Americans with regard to the color terms they use suggest that A. changes in the U.S. economy, society, and culture have had no impact on the use of color terms, or on any other terms for that matter. B. contrary to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, it might be more reasonable to say that changes in culture produce changes in language and thought, rather than the reverse. C. in support of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, different languages produce different ways of thinking. D. women and men are equally sensitive to the marketing tactics of the cosmetic industry. E. women spend more money on status goods than do men.

Q: There is considerable debate today over whether or not governments should require schools to provide bilingual education for students, and if so, to what extent this should be carried out. Pretend that you are an anthropologist who has been asked to provide guidance on this issue to a school board in a bilingual community. What can you suggest about the nature of ethnicity, language, and enculturation that will help educators address their challenges?

Q: Discuss the major advantages and disadvantages of scientific and traditional medicine, being careful to distinguish between scientific medicine and Western medicine.

Q: How might a premedical student apply some of the knowledge learned through anthropology as a physician? What is the value of studying the curing and belief systems of patients' ethnic groups?

Q: Discuss ethical dilemmas and possible solutions with respect to the kinds of applied anthropology discussed in this chapter.

Q: HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic. How does culture play a role in HIV transmission? How might applied anthropology help in finding a solution to this problem?

Q: Non-Western medicine recognizes that poor health has intertwined physical, emotional, and social causes.

Q: Scientific medicine is not the same thing as Western medicine. Despite advances in technology, genomics, molecular biology, pathology, surgery, diagnostics, and applications, many Western medical procedures have little justification in logic or fact.

Q: A bachelor's degree in anthropology is of little value in the corporate world.

Q: Define applied anthropology. What distinguishes the old from the new applied anthropology? Can you think of any examples in current events that raise the question of whether or not new applied anthropology has completely moved on from the dangers of the old?

Q: Discuss the relevance of the ethnographic method for modern society, contemporary problems, and applied anthropology.

Q: What is the relationship between theory and practice in anthropology? Do you agree that applied anthropology should be recognized as a separate subsection of anthropology?

Q: Identify government, international, and private organizations that concern themselves with socioeconomic change abroad and hire anthropologists to help meet their goals. Review their mission statements. Do they make reference to the dangers of underdifferentiation or overinnovation?

Q: What, if anything, is the difference between an anthropologist currently consulting on a development project in Indonesia and another one conducting research in support of the British colonial government's efforts to subdue African natives in the 1930s?

Q: Sociolinguists and cultural anthropologists studying Puerto Rican communities in the Midwestern United States found that Puerto Rican parents valued education more than non-Hispanics did.

Q: Less than half of Toronto's citizens were born outside of Canada.

Q: The Samoan community living in Los Angeles has successfully used the matai system to deal with modern urban problems.

Q: Strictly speaking, medical anthropology is an applied field within anthropology.

Q: An illness is a scientifically identified health threat caused by a bacterium, virus, fungus, parasite, or other pathogen.

Q: Biomedicine, which aims to link an illness to scientifically-demonstrated agents that bear no personal malice toward their victims, is an example of naturalistic medicine.

Q: Health care systems refers only to the nationalized health care services that exist in core industrial nations.

Q: Non-Western medicine does not maintain a sharp distinction between biological and psychological illnesses.

Q: It is safe to assume that there is less cultural diversity among the poorest, less developed countries in the world.

Q: Fortunately for applied anthropologists eager to do effective international work, all governments are by their nature genuinely and realistically committed to improving the lives of their citizens.

Q: When nations become more tied to the world economy, indigenous forms of social organization inevitably break down into nuclear family organization, impersonality, and alienation.

Q: What is microenculturation? A. a condition that exists in large, industrialized states, wherein most of the population has only a small amount of real culture B. the process whereby particular roles are learned within a limited social system (for example, a business) C. the process whereby enculturation is accomplished through advanced media technology D. the result of the meeting between foraging and tribal communities in less developed countries E. enculturation based on a focused interest; for example, reruns of a TV show like Star Trek

Q: Ethnographic study of the workplace A. provides evidence that economic factors are fundamental to understanding differential productivity. B. is routinely performed by employees of the U.S. federal government. C. is not very useful, because all workplaces are becoming increasingly homogeneous, compared to 20 years ago. D. provides close observation of workers and managers in their natural setting. E. is required of all organizations that want to become not-for-profit, according to the American Anthropological Association.

Q: This chapter's "Appreciating Diversity" account describes how McDonald's was able to succeed in the Brazilian market once it adapted to preexisting Brazilian cultural patterns. This example illustrates A. how the axiom of applied anthropology that innovation succeeds best when it is culturally appropriate applies only in Western cultures. B. the danger of applied anthropology turning itself into a tool of capitalist interests, which always disregard the culture and well-being of the consumer. C. how the axiom of applied anthropology that innovation succeeds best when it is culturally appropriate applies not just to development projects but also to businesses, such as fast food. D. applied anthropology's capacity to help foreign markets adapt to a marketing strategy that must, above all costs, maintain the integrity of its brand. E. Brazilians' intolerance of foreign goods, because the companies that produce them disregard Brazilian tastes.

Q: Anthropology has three dimensions: academic, applied, and a mix of the two.

Q: Ethnography is one of applied anthropology's most valuable research tools, because it provides a firsthand account of the lives of ordinary people.

Q: Although its roots extend further back in time, the real boom for applied anthropology in the United States began in the 1970s.

Q: Academic and applied anthropology have a symbiotic relationship, as theory aids practice and application fuels theory.

Q: Development anthropology is the branch of applied anthropology that focuses on social issues in, and the cultural dimension of, moral development.

Q: A commonly stated goal of recent development policy is to promote equity; that is, to reduce poverty and promote a more even distribution of wealth.

Q: The Bahia, Brazil, development project in which loans were given to fishing-boat owners is an example of how some development projects can actually widen wealth disparities instead of increasing equity.

Q: What is a disease? A. a health problem as it is experienced by the one affected B. an artificial product of biomedicine C. a consequence of a foraging lifestyle D. an unnatural state of health E. a scientifically identified health threat

Q: What is an illness? A. a nonexistent ailment (only diseases are real) B. an artificial product of biomedicine C. a scientifically described health threat D. a purely linguistic problem E. a condition of poor health perceived by an individual

Q: Shamans and other magico-religious specialists are effective curers with regard to what kind of disease theory? A. exotic B. ritualistic C. naturalistic D. personalistic E. scientific

Q: Anthropology may aid in the progress of education by helping educators avoid all of the following EXCEPT A. indiscriminate assignment of nonnative English speakers to the same classrooms as children with "behavior problems." B. tolerance of ethnic diversity. C. incorrect application of labels such as "learning impaired." D. sociolinguistic discrimination. E. ethnic stereotyping.

Q: More than 70 percent of immigrants to Canada settle in what city? A. Vancouver B. Montreal C. Toronto D. Quebec E. Alberta

Q: One of the stated goals of public anthropology is to A. oppose policies that promote injustice. B. refrain from discussion of social issues in the media. C. promote anthropology as a career, especially to minorities. D. encourage academic anthropologists to become applied anthropologists. E. restrict the publication of research papers to professional journals.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a feature of urban life? A. dispersed settlements B. high population density C. social heterogeneity D. economic differentiation E. geographic mobility

Q: Which of the following best illustrates urban applied anthropologists' ability to help social groups deal with urban institutions? A. "culture at a distance" studies among Japanese and Germans in an attempt to predict the behavior of the enemies of the United States B. Kottak's comparative study of development projects from around the world C. Vigil's study of gang violence in the context of large-scale immigrant adaptation to U.S. cities D. anthropological analysis of the relation between Malagasy descent groups and the state E. analysis of differences between personalistic and naturalistic disease theories among rural poor of the U.S.

Q: Which of the following is true about medical anthropology? A. It is the field that proved that people from rural areas suffer only from illnesses and not diseases. B. It applies non-Western health knowledge to a troubled industrialized medical system. C. Typically in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, this field does market research on the use of health products around the world. D. This field applies Western medicine to solving health problems around the world. E. This growing field considers the biocultural context and implications of disease and illness.

Q: All of the following are proper roles for applied anthropologists EXCEPT A. identifying the needs for change that local people perceive. B. working with people to design culturally appropriate and socially sensitive change. C. placing the cultural values of local people above all others' cultural values. D. protecting local people from harmful policies and projects that might threaten them. E. working as participant observers, taking part in the events they study in order to understand local thought and behavior.

Q: Development anthropology is the branch of applied anthropology that focuses on social issues in, and the cultural dimension of, what type of development? A. ethical B. theoretical C. political D. economic E. scholastic

Q: What is the commonly stated goal for most development projects? A. greater socioeconomic stratification B. ethnocide C. cultural assimilation D. decreased local autonomy E. increased equity

Q: Which of the following was observed in the Bahia, Brazil, development project in which sailboat owners got loans to buy motors, as described in this chapter? A. Ambitious young men increasingly sought wage labor. B. The fishing community became more egalitarian. C. There was an increase in commercial sailboat ownership. D. The price of power fishing vessels decreased. E. Individual initiative was rewarded, and the fishing industry grew.

Q: People are usually willing to change just enough to maintain, or slightly improve on, what they already have. For this reason, development projects are most likely to succeed when they avoid the fallacy of A. cultural relativism. B. ethno-bias. C. overinnovation. D. underdifferentiation. E. intervention philosophy.

Q: What term refers to the tendency to view less developed countries as more alike than they are? A. cultural relativism B. ethnobias C. overinnovation D. underdifferentiation E. intervention philosophy

Q: Development projects should aim to accomplish all of the following EXCEPT A. promoting change, but not overinnovation. B. preserving local systems while working to make them better. C. respecting local traditions. D. drawing models of development from indigenous practices. E. developing strategies with little input from the local communities.

Q: Which of the following is a reason that the Madagascar project to increase rice production was successful? A. Malagasy leaders were of "the people" and were therefore prepared to follow the descent-group ethic of pooling resources for the good of the group as a whole. B. The elites and the lower class were of different origins and thus had no strong connections through kinship, descent, or marriage. C. There is a clear fit between capitalist development schemes and corporate descent-group social organization. D. The project took into account the inevitability of native forms of social organization breaking down into nuclear family organization, impersonality, and alienation. E. The educated members of Malagasy society are those who have struggled to fend for themselves and therefore brought an innovative kind of independence to the project.

Q: The Malagasy development program described in this chapter illustrates the importance of A. the local government's ability to improve the lives of its citizens, when committed to doing so. B. replacing subsistence farming with a viable cash crop. C. replacing outdated traditional techniques of irrigation with more modern ones. D. breaking down corporate descent groups, which are too independent and interfere with development. E. the top-down strategies developed by the UN.

Q: In an example of applied anthropology's contribution to improving education, this chapter describes a study of Puerto Rican seventh graders in a Midwestern U.S. urban school (Hill- Burnett, 1978). What did anthropologists discover in this study? A. Puerto Rican students came from a background that placed less value on education than did that of white students. B. The parents of Puerto Rican students did not value achievement. C. The Puerto Rican subjects benefited from the English-as-a-foreign-language program. D. Puerto Ricans do not benefit from bilingual education. E. The Puerto Rican students' education was being affected by their teachers' misconceptions.

Q: Who was studied at a distance during the 1940s in an attempt to predict the behavior of the political enemies of the United States? A. the Koreans and English B. the Yanomami and Betsileo C. the Malagasy D. the Germans and Japanese E. the Brazilians and Indonesians

Q: What is the postwar baby boom of the late 1940s and 1950s responsible for? A. It fueled the general expansion of the U.S. educational system, including academic anthropology. B. It promoted renewed interest in applied anthropology during the 1950s and 1960s. C. It brought anthropology into most high school curricula. D. It produced a new interest in ethnic diversity. E. It worked to shrink the world system.

Q: According to Karen Tice, what issue has become paramount in the teaching of applied anthropology? A. ethics B. theory C. application D. economics E. scholarship

Q: What advantages do you see in ethnographic research techniques? What are the advantages for survey techniques? Which one would you choose, and what would that choice depend upon?