Among common errors still persisting in the minds of educated people, one which dies very hard is the theory that a dialect is an arbitrary distortion of the mother tongue, a willful mispronunciation of the sounds, and disregard of the syntax of a standard language. This comes of reading dialect stories by authors who have no personal knowledge of any dialect whatever, and who have never studied any language scientifically. All they have done, perhaps, is to have purchased the Dialect Glossary of some district, or maybe they have asked a friend to supply a little local coloring. Authors of this type put into the mouths of their dialect-speaking characters a kind of doggerel which their readers then run away with, believing it is a real, living, English dialect.
As a matter of fact, our English dialects exemplify the sound-laws of living speech and the historical development of an originally inflected language. But the field of English dialects offers other allurements besides those which attract the philologist and the grammarian. The language-specialist merely digs and quarries, as it were, in the bare soil and rock, where he finds rich ores amply sufficient to repay his pains and toil, but there remains plenty of room for the rest of us who are less laboriously inclined, and at every turn are enticing paths. The real charm lies in the fact that it is a “faire felde ful of folke,” natural, homely, witty folk. The study of our English dialects may not only contribute to the advancement of knowledge, but also give us a clearer insight into the life and character of the British peasant and artisan, and so it will have achieved the aim and object of its existence.
1. According to the passage, what does the author feel may have contributed to the misunderstanding of dialects?
A. That plenty of room remains for the rest of us who are less laboriously inclined toward the study of dialects
B. The willful mispronunciation of sounds by speakers of dialects
C. Insufficient research and understanding on the part of authors who employ dialects for their characters’ speech
D. That educated people do not speak in dialect
E. That a dialect is not a real, living language
The OA is C
2. The author is primarily concerned with
A. discussing different types of dialects
B. refuting a socioeconomic bias against dialects
C. making a case for the study of dialects in order to increase our understanding of them
D. berating authors who write in dialect
E. revealing new evidence
The OA is C
3. According to the passage, authors who put doggerel into the voices of their characters cause which of the following?
A. A belief that use of a dialect indicates low intelligence
B. A belief that real people do speak in doggerel
C. A belief that dialects offer allurements
D. A belief that dialects aren’t worth studying
E. A belief that England’s educational system is in decline
The OA is B
As a matter of fact, our English dialects exemplify the sound-laws of living speech and the historical development of an originally inflected language. But the field of English dialects offers other allurements besides those which attract the philologist and the grammarian. The language-specialist merely digs and quarries, as it were, in the bare soil and rock, where he finds rich ores amply sufficient to repay his pains and toil, but there remains plenty of room for the rest of us who are less laboriously inclined, and at every turn are enticing paths. The real charm lies in the fact that it is a “faire felde ful of folke,” natural, homely, witty folk. The study of our English dialects may not only contribute to the advancement of knowledge, but also give us a clearer insight into the life and character of the British peasant and artisan, and so it will have achieved the aim and object of its existence.
1. According to the passage, what does the author feel may have contributed to the misunderstanding of dialects?
A. That plenty of room remains for the rest of us who are less laboriously inclined toward the study of dialects
B. The willful mispronunciation of sounds by speakers of dialects
C. Insufficient research and understanding on the part of authors who employ dialects for their characters’ speech
D. That educated people do not speak in dialect
E. That a dialect is not a real, living language
The OA is C
2. The author is primarily concerned with
A. discussing different types of dialects
B. refuting a socioeconomic bias against dialects
C. making a case for the study of dialects in order to increase our understanding of them
D. berating authors who write in dialect
E. revealing new evidence
The OA is C
3. According to the passage, authors who put doggerel into the voices of their characters cause which of the following?
A. A belief that use of a dialect indicates low intelligence
B. A belief that real people do speak in doggerel
C. A belief that dialects offer allurements
D. A belief that dialects aren’t worth studying
E. A belief that England’s educational system is in decline
The OA is B
