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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. In what location does Mencken say both the American and English orthographies flourish side by side?
2. What language does the formalism of English grammarians come from?
3. Mencken states that the "Meyers" are the "Smiths" of what country?
4. In what dialect of English is "slick" used synonymously with "sleek" according to Chapter 9.10?
5. How is "Des Moines" pronounced in American, according to Mencken?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
One of the hardest aspects of any language that is almost impossible to classify is the nuances of pronunciation. Write an essay analyzing the problems caused by the varieties and degrees of pronunciation. Have the difficulties it causes those who study the American language. What is the definition of pronunciation? How does Mencken treat of pronunciation? What are the ways in which it may change an auditor's understanding of a language? How is the American pronunciation divergent from the British? What particularities of the American pronunciation are significant in comprehension of the American language?
Essay Topic 2
The primary conflict voiced by Mencken in The American Language is that which exists between the spirit of linguistic conservationism and a spirit of linguistic innovation. Analyze this conflict as it is presented throughout the book and report insightfully on the strengths and weaknesses of each spirit. How is each spirit superior to the other? How is it inferior? Is there a valid argument to be made in favor absolutely of one or the other? What arguments may be presented in support of each? What are the arguments that may be presented against each? Is there a plausible compromise that may be made between the two?
Essay Topic 3
Write an essay investigating the various ways in which language can diverge into two or more dialects, using the principles found in Mencken's The American Language. What are the principal sources of its divergences? What are the primary ways in which it actually diverges? What characterizes these divergences? How is this shown, particularly, in the American dialect?
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This section contains 349 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) |
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