The Influence of Other Languages on American English: Etymology Quiz

Question 1

Which of the following English words has Spanish origins?

Accepted Answer

Siesta

Answer

Bonjour

Answer

Rendezvous

Answer

Kindergarten

Question 2

Which grammatical structure borrowed from Dutch is commonly used in American English?

Accepted Answer

Double negation

Answer

Present perfect tense

Answer

Subjunctive mood

Answer

Passive voice

Question 3

Which German word forms the basis for the American English word 'delicatessen'?

Accepted Answer

Feinkost

Answer

Schnitzel

Answer

Bratwurst

Answer

Apfelstrudel

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of words borrowed from other languages?

Accepted Answer

Always maintain their original grammar

Answer

Retain original spelling

Answer

Often used in specific contexts

Answer

Usually undergo some phonetic changes

Question 5

Which of the following words is derived from French, meaning a bunch of flowers?

Accepted Answer

Bouquet

Answer

Mortgage

Answer

Macchiato

Answer

Kindergarten

Question 6

The word 'canyon' is an example of how Spanish has impacted American English through:

Accepted Answer

The introduction of new words

Answer

Changes in pronunciation

Answer

The adoption of new grammatical structures

Answer

The modification of existing vocabulary

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of American English influenced by French?

Accepted Answer

The use of the subjunctive mood

Answer

The linking of certain words (liaison)

Answer

The pronunciation of certain vowels

Answer

The use of nasalized vowels

Question 8

Which of the following English words has a Spanish origin?

Accepted Answer

Taco

Answer

Baguette

Answer

Strudel

Answer

Pretzel

Question 9

The pronunciation of which English word has been influenced by Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Canyon

Answer

Croissant

Answer

Strudel

Answer

Pretzel

Question 10

Which grammatical structure in American English can be traced back to French?

Accepted Answer

Subject-Verb Inversion in Questions

Answer

Use of Compound Nouns

Answer

Past Perfect Tense

Answer

Modal Verbs

Question 11

The word 'cookie' is derived from which language?

Accepted Answer

Dutch

Answer

French

Answer

German

Answer

Spanish

Question 12

The word 'rendezvous' entered American English through interaction with which group?

Accepted Answer

French explorers

Answer

Spanish explorers

Answer

German immigrants

Answer

Dutch settlers

Question 13

Which of the following words is not of Spanish origin?

Accepted Answer

fjord

Answer

canyon

Answer

patio

Answer

ranch

Question 14

The retroflex pronunciation of the letter 'r' in American English is influenced by which language?

Accepted Answer

Dutch

Answer

German

Answer

French

Answer

Italian

Question 15

Which of the following sentence structures is a characteristic of German influence on American English?

Accepted Answer

Extensive use of compound nouns

Answer

Subject-verb-object word order

Answer

Frequent use of modal verbs

Answer

Prevalence of passive voice constructions

Question 16

The term 'hinterland' is derived from which language?

Accepted Answer

German

Answer

French

Answer

Dutch

Answer

Spanish

Question 17

Which of the following words is not derived from German?

Accepted Answer

fjord

Answer

kindergarten

Answer

rucksack

Answer

deli

Question 18

The American pronunciation of the word 'garage' is primarily influenced by which of the following languages?

Accepted Answer

French

Answer

Spanish

Answer

German

Answer

Dutch

Question 19

The word 'kindergarten' originates from which of the following languages?

Accepted Answer

German

Answer

Spanish

Answer

French

Answer

Dutch

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a factor that contributed to the influence of other languages on the development of American English?

Accepted Answer

Geographical isolation

Answer

Immigration

Answer

Globalization

Answer

Trade

Question 21

Which of the following words is a cognate between American English and French?

Accepted Answer

Hotel

Answer

Mortgage

Answer

Rodeo

Answer

Kindergarten

Question 22

The incorporation of words like 'ersatz' and 'zeitgeist' into American English exemplifies the influence of:

Accepted Answer

German

Answer

Spanish

Answer

French

Answer

Dutch

Question 23

Which of the following statements about language influence is accurate?

Accepted Answer

It can have both positive and negative effects.

Answer

It is a one-way process.

Answer

It only occurs through direct contact.

Answer

It is limited to vocabulary.

Question 24

The presence of words like 'cookie' and 'boss' in both American English and Dutch is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Cognate sharing

Answer

Loanword borrowing

Answer

False cognates

Answer

Language convergence

Question 25

The term "canyon" in American English is derived from which language?

Accepted Answer

Spanish

Answer

Portuguese

Answer

French

Answer

German

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT an instance of a false cognate between English and French?

Accepted Answer

Automobile

Answer

Library

Answer

Restaurant

Answer

Pen

Question 27

American English incorporates the word "kindergarten" from which language?

Accepted Answer

German

Answer

Spanish

Answer

French

Answer

Dutch

Question 28

The term "patio" in American English is derived from which language?

Accepted Answer

Spanish

Answer

Portuguese

Answer

French

Answer

Italian

Question 29

How does the prevalence of Spanish loanwords in American English vary across different regions of the United States?

Accepted Answer

Spanish loanwords are more common in the Southwest than in other regions.

Answer

Spanish loanwords are equally common in all regions of the United States.

Answer

Spanish loanwords are more common in the Northeast than in other regions.

Answer

Spanish loanwords are more common in the Midwest than in other regions.

Question 30

Which of the following languages has NOT significantly influenced the development of American English?

Accepted Answer

Italian

Answer

Spanish

Answer

French

Answer

German

Question 31

What is the term for words that have been borrowed from another language and adapted to fit into English vocabulary?

Accepted Answer

Loanwords

Answer

Cognates

Answer

Neologisms

Answer

Archaisms

Question 32

Which of the following words is a French loanword?

Accepted Answer

Bureau

Answer

Tortilla

Answer

Kindergarten

Answer

Salsa

Question 33

Which of the following grammatical structures in American English can be traced back to Dutch influence?

Accepted Answer

The use of double negatives

Answer

The formation of plurals with '-s'

Answer

The use of 'do' as a helping verb

Answer

The use of articles before nouns

Question 34

Which of the following statements about the influence of other languages on American English is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

It has resulted in a language that is more nuanced and versatile.

Answer

It has made American English less distinct from other English varieties.

Answer

It has led to a decline in the use of native English words.

Answer

It has had no significant impact on American English.

Question 35

Which of the following words, originally from Spanish, has become part of everyday American English?

Accepted Answer

Taco

Answer

Bratwurst

Answer

Baguette

Question 36

The English word 'cookie' has roots in which language?

Accepted Answer

Dutch

Answer

Pizza

Answer

Sausage

Answer

Croissant

Question 37

The pronunciation of some American English words, like 'chef', has been influenced by which language?

Accepted Answer

French

Answer

Bratwurst

Answer

Taco

Answer

Sushi

Question 38

Which of the following German words has had an impact on the grammar of American English?

Accepted Answer

Kindergarten

Answer

Pizza

Answer

Baguette

Answer

Cookie

Question 39

Identify the Dutch word that means 'cookie' in American English.

Accepted Answer

Koekje

Answer

Thee

Answer

Brood

Answer

Kaas

Question 40

Which German word is reflected in the American English word 'hamburger'?

Accepted Answer

Hamburger

Answer

Schnitzel

Answer

Apfelstrudel

Answer

Kartoffel

Question 41

The pronunciation of which American English word was influenced by Dutch?

Accepted Answer

cookie

Answer

delicatessen

Answer

bilingual

Answer

rendezvous

Question 42

The word 'kindergarten' is derived from which language?

Accepted Answer

German

Answer

Dutch

Answer

French

Answer

Spanish

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a way in which other languages have influenced American English?

Accepted Answer

changing the meaning of words

Answer

adding new words to the vocabulary

Answer

influencing grammar

Answer

modifying pronunciation

Question 44

The word 'rendezvous' has its roots in which language?

Accepted Answer

French

Answer

Spanish

Answer

German

Question 45

Which of the following examples demonstrates the influence of other languages on American English pronunciation?

Accepted Answer

The pronunciation of 'herb' with a silent 'h'

Answer

The use of the present perfect tense

Answer

The use of the Oxford comma

Answer

The use of the word 'gotten'