Exam Based MCQs – Dialect & Idiolect (Sociolinguistics)
1. In linguistics, a “dialect” is best defined as: (UGC NET 2016)
A) A purely written variety of language
B) A regional or social variety of a language
C) A list of words in a dictionary
D) A dead language
Ans: B) A regional or social variety of a language
2. “Idiolect” refers to: (PGTRB 2018)
A) A national standard language
B) The unique language use of an individual
C) Language used only in books
D) The speech of a whole community
Ans: B) The unique language use of an individual
3. Which of the following is the smallest unit of variation in sociolinguistics? (SET 2019)
A) Dialect
B) Language family
C) Idiolect
D) Register
Ans: C) Idiolect
4. A regional dialect is primarily associated with: (UGC NET 2017)
A) Social class
B) Profession
C) Geographic area
D) Age group
Ans: C) Geographic area
5. A social dialect (sociolect) is primarily associated with: (PGTRB 2019)
A) Time period
B) Social class, caste or group
C) Written style
D) Phonetic alphabet
Ans: B) Social class, caste or group
6. The term “idiolect” emphasizes what aspect of language? (SET 2018)
A) Historical change
B) Individual variation
C) Universal grammar
D) Orthography
Ans: B) Individual variation
7. Which linguist is most closely associated with the study of language variation and change? (UGC NET 2015)
A) Noam Chomsky
B) Ferdinand de Saussure
C) William Labov
D) Roman Jakobson
Ans: C) William Labov
8. The term “speech community” is used to describe: (PGTRB 2020)
A) A group that shares a set of linguistic norms
B) A group that writes in the same script
C) Only educated speakers
D) Only monolingual speakers
Ans: A) A group that shares a set of linguistic norms
9. The linguistic variety often judged as socially prestigious and taught in schools is called: (SET 2020)
A) Pidgin
B) Creole
C) Standard dialect
D) Jargon
Ans: C) Standard dialect
10. The term “accent” in sociolinguistics usually refers to variation in: (UGC NET 2018)
A) Vocabulary only
B) Grammar only
C) Pronunciation only
D) Spelling only
Ans: C) Pronunciation only
11. Dialect differences can occur at the level of: (PGTRB 2017)
A) Pronunciation
B) Vocabulary
C) Grammar
D) All of the above
Ans: D) All of the above
12. An individual’s idiolect may be influenced by: (SET 2017)
A) Family background
B) Education
C) Peer group and media
D) All of the above
Ans: D) All of the above
13. When several dialects of a language are mutually intelligible, they are considered: (UGC NET 2019)
A) Different languages
B) Registers
C) Varieties of the same language
D) Idiolects
Ans: C) Varieties of the same language
14. “Dialect continuum” refers to: (PGTRB 2020)
A) A set of dialects spoken in different periods of history
B) A range of dialects each mutually intelligible with its neighbours
C) A range of ancient languages
D) A hierarchy of standard dialects
Ans: B) A range of dialects each mutually intelligible with its neighbours
15. Which of the following best describes “register”? (SET 2018)
A) A personal idiolect
B) Variety based on use, situation or field
C) Variety based on region
D) Variety based on historical period
Ans: B) Variety based on use, situation or field
16. “Sociolect” is another term for: (UGC NET 2016)
A) Social dialect
B) Idiolect
C) Ethnolect
D) Chronolect
Ans: A) Social dialect
17. A “regional dialect” is sometimes called: (PGTRB 2018)
A) Geolect
B) Chronolect
C) Idiolect
D) Register
Ans: A) Geolect
18. Which of the following is most directly linked to “idiolect”? (SET 2019)
A) Personal catchphrases and habitual expressions
B) National language policy
C) Script and orthography
D) Genetic relationship of languages
Ans: A) Personal catchphrases and habitual expressions
19. A teacher noting each student’s habitual pronunciation patterns is observing their: (UGC NET 2018)
A) Dialect continuum
B) Idiolect
C) Pidgin
D) Creole
Ans: B) Idiolect
20. “RP” (Received Pronunciation) in British English is an example of: (PGTRB 2019)
A) A local dialect
B) A standard prestige accent
C) A pidgin
D) A creole
Ans: B) A standard prestige accent
21. “Dialect levelling” refers to: (SET 2020)
A) Increase in dialect differences
B) Reduction of dialect differences over time
C) The creation of new dialects
D) Complete disappearance of language
Ans: B) Reduction of dialect differences over time
22. The term “standard language” in relation to dialects means: (UGC NET 2019)
A) A dialect with official and educational recognition
B) A dialect spoken by very few
C) A purely written language
D) A dead language
Ans: A) A dialect with official and educational recognition
23. The phrase “a language is a dialect with an army and a navy” highlights: (PGTRB 2020)
A) Purely linguistic criteria
B) Political and social factors in defining languages
C) Phonological features
D) Orthographic rules
Ans: B) Political and social factors in defining languages
24. An “ethnolect” is a dialect associated with: (SET 2018)
A) Age
B) Ethnic group
C) Occupation
D) Gender
Ans: B) Ethnic group
25. Which of the following is NOT a factor in dialect variation? (UGC NET 2017)
A) Region
B) Social class
C) Age
D) Atomic number
Ans: D) Atomic number
26. In sociolinguistics, the study of how dialects differ and change over time is called: (PGTRB 2018)
A) Dialectology
B) Philology
C) Lexicography
D) Stylistics
Ans: A) Dialectology
27. A person may shift between dialects or styles depending on context. This is called: (SET 2019)
A) Code-mixing
B) Code-switching
C) Borrowing
D) Interference
Ans: B) Code-switching
28. When a community gradually shifts from one language or dialect to another, it is called: (UGC NET 2020)
A) Language shift
B) Language maintenance
C) Language creation
D) Language fossilisation
Ans: A) Language shift
29. The distinct vocabulary choice of an individual like favourite slang terms is part of their: (PGTRB 2019)
A) Standard dialect
B) Idiolect
C) Pidgin
D) Creole
Ans: B) Idiolect
30. Dialects can be stigmatised or prestigious based on: (SET 2021)
A) Purely linguistic complexity
B) Social attitudes and power relations
C) Alphabet used
D) Number of phonemes
Ans: B) Social attitudes and power relations
31. The notion of “idiolect” challenges the idea that: (UGC NET 2019)
A) Everyone speaks an identical dialect
B) Languages change
C) Speech communities exist
D) Variation is systematic
Ans: A) Everyone speaks an identical dialect
32. In ELT, awareness of dialect variation is important because: (PGTRB 2021)
A) Learners hear only one accent
B) Learners may encounter multiple native and non-native varieties
C) Only standard English exists
D) Dialects must be eliminated
Ans: B) Learners may encounter multiple native and non-native varieties
33. When teaching, a teacher’s own idiolect may influence: (SET 2020)
A) Students’ spelling only
B) Students’ pronunciation and lexical choices
C) Only punctuation
D) Only handwriting
Ans: B) Students’ pronunciation and lexical choices
34. “Inner circle”, “outer circle” and “expanding circle” varieties of English (Kachru) refer to: (UGC NET 2018)
A) Phonetic differences only
B) Different sociolinguistic contexts and norms
C) Three dialects of Latin
D) Three registers of English
Ans: B) Different sociolinguistic contexts and norms
35. A “vernacular dialect” generally means: (PGTRB 2020)
A) Highly formal written variety
B) Everyday spoken variety, often non-standard
C) Artificial language
D) Scientific register
Ans: B) Everyday spoken variety, often non-standard
36. In dialect studies, “isogloss” refers to: (SET 2019)
A) A boundary line separating areas with different linguistic features
B) A type of idiolect
C) A phonetic symbol
D) A grammatical category
Ans: A) A boundary line separating areas with different linguistic features
37. “Style-shifting” happens when a speaker: (UGC NET 2020)
A) Changes language family
B) Adjusts speech style according to context and audience
C) Learns a new script
D) Forgets their first language
Ans: B) Adjusts speech style according to context and audience
38. An individual’s idiolect is never completely fixed because: (PGTRB 2021)
A) Grammar rules change daily
B) It is influenced by ongoing experience and social interaction
C) Vocabulary is finite
D) Orthography is unstable
Ans: B) It is influenced by ongoing experience and social interaction
39. The study of how social factors like class and gender affect language is called: (SET 2018)
A) Psycholinguistics
B) Sociolinguistics
C) Neurolinguistics
D) Historical linguistics
Ans: B) Sociolinguistics
40. “Non-standard dialect” in linguistics usually means: (UGC NET 2016)
A) Grammatically incorrect language
B) Variety without social prestige or official status
C) Language of foreigners
D) A dead language
Ans: B) Variety without social prestige or official status
41. From a linguistic point of view, non-standard dialects are: (PGTRB 2019)
A) Inferior in structure
B) Equally systematic and rule-governed
C) Random and chaotic
D) Not worth studying
Ans: B) Equally systematic and rule-governed
42. For ELT, the choice of which dialect or accent to teach as a model is mainly: (SET 2021)
A) A purely grammatical choice
B) A pedagogical and policy decision
C) A phonetic impossibility
D) Decided by orthography
Ans: B) A pedagogical and policy decision
43. Awareness of dialect and idiolect helps teachers to: (UGC NET 2019)
A) Punish non-standard usage
B) Understand learner variation and avoid unnecessary correction
C) Teach only one “correct” accent
D) Ban local languages
Ans: B) Understand learner variation and avoid unnecessary correction
44. The term “idiolect” is derived from Greek roots meaning: (PGTRB 2020)
A) Individual language
B) Old language
C) Pure language
D) Sacred language
Ans: A) Individual language
45. “Age-graded variation” refers to differences in language use due to: (SET 2019)
A) Region
B) Social class
C) Age group
D) Profession
Ans: C) Age group
46. An individual’s idiolect is shaped during: (UGC NET 2018)
A) Only early childhood
B) Only adulthood
C) Entire life span through interaction
D) Only formal schooling
Ans: C) Entire life span through interaction
47. In multilingual settings, the same speaker’s idiolect may include: (PGTRB 2021)
A) Forms from only one language
B) Hybrid features and code-mixed elements
C) No variation at all
D) Only written forms
Ans: B) Hybrid features and code-mixed elements
48. In dialect studies, “overt prestige” refers to: (SET 2020)
A) Hidden approval of non-standard forms
B) Open social approval of standard or high-status forms
C) Any historical form
D) Only phonetic accuracy
Ans: B) Open social approval of standard or high-status forms
49. “Covert prestige” in dialect use refers to: (UGC NET 2020)
A) Negative evaluation everywhere
B) Hidden positive value of non-standard forms within a group
C) Legal recognition
D) Only written approval
Ans: B) Hidden positive value of non-standard forms within a group
50. Overall, the concepts of dialect and idiolect highlight that language is: (PGTRB 2022)
A) Fixed and uniform
B) Variable, systematic and socially embedded
C) Only written and standard
D) Independent of society
Ans: B) Variable, systematic and socially embedded
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