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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 9.10.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What word was "coatee" used as a diminutive for?
(a) Beard.
(b) Shawl.
(c) Hat.
(d) Coat.

2. How many pages in "The King's English" are dedicated to explaining the distinction between "will" and "shall"?
(a) 15.
(b) 30.
(c) 20.
(d) 0.

3. What is the English meaning of the phrase "to carry on"?
(a) To raise hell.
(b) To talk endlessly.
(c) To be on the job.
(d) To shoulder one's pack.

4. In what century did England replace the "i-sound" with the "oi-sound" in words such as "boy"?
(a) The sixteenth.
(b) The eighteenth.
(c) The nineteenth.
(d) The seventeenth.

5. In what language does Mencken state the double negative was once "quite respectable?"
(a) Spanish.
(b) Anglo-Saxon.
(c) French.
(d) Russian.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What is frequently omitted in phrases indicated desire or intent, as indicated in Chapter 9.9?

3. In what dialect of English is "slick" used synonymously with "sleek" according to Chapter 9.10?

4. Which of the following did the African slaves NOT introduce to American English?

5. What is the principal reason Mencken states that the English language has not greatly diverged since the foundation of the United States of America?

(see the answer key)

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