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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 9.2 | Chapter 9.3.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What purpose does Miss Wittmann say is served by the shortening of word forms?
(a) Color.
(b) Creativity.
(c) Convenience.
(d) None.

2. What vowel sound was dominant in 18th century New England pronunciation, despite common protests to the contrary?
(a) Flat e.
(b) Flat a.
(c) Broad a.
(d) Broad o.

3. Which of the following is a term used by philologists to indicate the "instinctive search, etymologically unsound, for short roots in long words"?
(a) Formative de-synthesizing.
(b) Etymanalyzing.
(c) Deconstructing.
(d) Back-formation.

4. What does Mencken state is neglected by those who are professional trained to investigate it?
(a) Formal grammar.
(b) Idiosyncrasies.
(c) Philological anomalies.
(d) The vulgate.

5. In what parts of language does Mencken say the "chief grammatical peculiarities" of spoken English are found?
(a) Nouns and participles.
(b) Verbs and pronouns.
(c) Adverbs and adjectives.
(d) Nouns and prepositions.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which term do English dictionaries all describe as an Americanism from the comparative list in Chapter 4.1, despite the English version being frequently used in America?

2. In what century did Americans begin to rebel against the capitalization trends dominant in England?

3. According to Mencken, how do the English pronounce "been?"

4. According to Mencken, democratic government is essentially government by whom?

5. Which of the following was not used as a substitute for the once indecent term, for highly refined ears, "bull"?

(see the answer key)

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