4. It is an interesting ____________ that Americans attempt to imitate the British by using words and pronunciations that are not British at all or are no longer used.

5. What system allows English speakers to communicate efficiently in writing?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does the author think varieties of English are influenced by social reasons?

2. What was the Great Vowel Shift?

3. What is Noam Chomsky's position on how children learn language?

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of pictographic languages?

5. Explain what the author means by the creation of language areas.

6. Finally, what is the fourth method of explaining where words come from?

7. What drawbacks are there in using the English language?

8. What irony does the author point out in Americans emulating British English?

9. How can spelling in English be perceived as both simple and difficult?

10. What is a third method of explaining where words come from?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the differences between pictographic languages and phonetic languages and give examples of each.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the role of censorship in America today. What are U.S. citizens' rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

Essay Topic 3

One of the major issues that Bryson emphasizes throughout the book is that no higher authority controls the English language. Imagine that you could invent such an authoritative organization and outline its mission statement as well as its strategic and tactical plans.

(see the answer keys)

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