Critical Reasoning

Efficiency and redundancy are contradictory characteristics of linguistic systems: however, they can be used together to achieve usefulness and reliability in communication. If a spoken language is completely efficient, then every possible permutation of its basic language sounds can be an understandable word. However, if the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then it is not true that every possible permutation of a spoken language’s basic language sounds can be an understandable word.

If all of the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?

(A) Efficiency causes a spoken language to be useful and redundancy causes it to be reliable.
(B) Neither efficiency nor redundancy can be completely achieved in spoken language.
(C) If a spoken language were completely redundant, then it could not be useful.
(D) If the human auditory system were a perfect receptor of sounds, then every permutation of language sounds would be an understandable word.
(E) If the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then a spoken language cannot be completely efficient.

IMO D
paraphrase of the stimulus

However, if the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then it is not true that every possible permutation of a spoken language’s basic language sounds can be an understandable word.

Hope this helps

D is wrong.
As we can't say that Not A implies Not B, then A implies B.

I feel it is C.

If a spoken language is completely efficient, then every possible permutation of its basic language sounds can be an understandable word.

Means if it is efficient, it can't be redundant.
Reversing it, if it is redundant, it can't be efficient, or useful.

Good question though.

Cheers

(D) and (C) --> Wrong

IMO E

check this stimulus

spoken language is completely efficient, then every possible permutation of its basic language sounds can be an understandable word.

now check this stimulus

then it is not true that every possible permutation of a spoken language’s basic language sounds can be an understandable word.

now, when humans have defective receptors, permutations of spoken language cannot be an understandable word. implies tht the spoken language cannot be efficient when humans have defective receptors.

[/quote]

Efficiency and redundancy are contradictory characteristics of linguistic systems: however, they can be used together to achieve usefulness and reliability in communication.

It is A.

ManSab wrote:Efficiency and redundancy are contradictory characteristics of linguistic systems: however, they can be used together to achieve usefulness and reliability in communication.

(A) Efficiency causes a spoken language to be useful and redundancy causes it to be reliable.

It is A.

Can't be (A).
(A) states efficiency = 100% useful and redundancy = 100% reliable. It does not state this anywhere in the passage. It just states efficiency and redundancy can be used together to achieve usefulness and reliability in communication.


(B) Neither efficiency nor redundancy can be completely achieved in spoken language.

IMO B
Passage infers any linguistic system needs at least two criteria: efficiency and redundancy

Without either, communication would be impractical.

The passage then states the requirements for perfect efficiency, but how this would also require [perfect reception in sounds] = no redundancy. If we have any redundancy then we cannot have perfect efficiency. Thus B.

OA is (E)

I feel E is correct.

D is incorrect since it uses the word "every". The stimuli gives you no indication that if the receptor was perfect then every possible permutation of a spoken language’s basic language sounds can be an understandable word.

yeah E is the correct answer as it implies "If a spoken language is completely efficient, then every possible permutation of its basic language sounds can be an understandable word. However, if the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then it is not true that every possible permutation of a spoken language’s basic language sounds can be an understandable word. " that is mentioned in the argument.

My vote for E