首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
How many languages are used throughout the world today?
How many languages are used throughout the world today?
admin
2009-06-24
42
问题
How many languages are used throughout the world today?
There are over 3,000 languages that are used throughout the world today. Almost all of these languages belong to a much smaller number of language families. All of the languages within a language family are related and all of them have a similar history. Therefore, the grammar, vocabulary, and sounds of related languages are similar. In addition, the way of thinking and the style of talking among related languages is similar.
Even though there are over 3,000 languages that are used today, there are only 20 or 30 major language families.
Let’s take a brief look at some of the largest language families. Each of these large families includes many individual languages. The language that we are using now is English and English is, of course, a member of a large language family. English is a member of the Indo-European language family. The Indo-European language includes most of the languages that are spoken throughout Europe. language such as English, French and Greek. Of course, nowadays, many Indo-European language are spoken in other part of the world. For instance, Spanish, which is an Indo-European language is spoken throughout South and Central America, but originally it was spoken only in Europe.
Another large language family is the Mm-Asiatic family. The Afro-Asiatic family includes most languages in the area of North Africa and the Middle East. Language such as Arabic, which is spoken throughout the Middle East anti many of the local languages of the Sahara Desert region such as Hausa are members of the same family. Another large family is Bantu. Bantu includes most of the languages spoken in central and southern Africa.
In the past few hundred years, there has been a great deal of change in Africa, and outside languages, such as French, are now spoken in some areas of central Africa and southern Africa. A fourth large group of languages is the Sino-Tibetan family. Sino-Tibetan includes all dialects of Chinese, which is perhaps the most widely used language in the world. There are nearly eight hundred million speakers of Chinese dialects. Sino-Tibetan also includes the languages of southeast Asia, languages such as Vietnamese and Thai. Of course, not all the languages of east Asia belong to this family. Some languages such as Japanese seem to be completely unrelated to the Sino-Tibetan family.
Still another major language family is Polynesian. The Polynesian languages are island languages. They are spoken on the islands around Indonesia, and on the many islands eastward all the way to Hawaii, and on the islands west all the way to Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa. Hawaiian and Indonesian are examples of Polynesian languages. Apparently, these languages were spread by travelers from islands to islands, and then each group of islands developed its own individual language.
These five language groups, or language families, which we have mentioned here are only a few of the major language families from around the world. There are many more. You should also note that each major language family has several smaller families within it.
选项
答案
Indo-European language family
解析
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/nBTd777K
本试题收录于:
公共英语五级笔试题库公共英语(PETS)分类
0
公共英语五级笔试
公共英语(PETS)
相关试题推荐
Scotlandistherightplacetoreceiveafirst-classeducation.AccordingtoArthurHerman,theScotsdevelopedmanyimportant
Injudgingourwork,youshouldtakeintoconsiderationthefactthatwehavebeenverybusyrecently.
A.OngoingResearchB.ExtensionofUseC.RobotHeroesD.GreaterReliabilityE.FallingDemandF.HiddenDanger*
TVGamesShowsOneofthemostfascinatingthingsabouttelevisionisthesizeoftheaudience.Anovelcanbeonthe"bests
A.ThepurposeofharmlessrevengeB.WhatisrevengeC.Revengetotheco-workersD.AharmlessrevengetoyourfamilyE.Givingal
Whatdoestheword"wall"usedinthepassagemean?Asissuggested,thecommonsolutiontothecommonproblemis______.
Theuseofthechemicalmaypresentacertainhazardtothelaboratoryworkers.
Whatdidthespeakertalkaboutlasttime?
Whatdidthespeakertalkaboutlasttime?
Dr.WilsonandMr.Wanghavemetbefore.
随机试题
美国各门课程中多样化的实践活动,以及日本的综合活动实践反映出对()在课程中的地位的重视。
已证实的资产发生了减值或者原先确认的减值需要调整,这属于调整事项。()
在生态学分支学科中,按组织层次分类,生态学可分为()①个体生态学②种群生态学③群落生态学④生态系统生态学⑤景观生态学⑥全球生态学⑦区域生态学
对Crohn病最有诊断意义的病理改变是
A、柴胡B、淡豆豉C、浮萍D、葛根E、升麻既疏散风热,又解毒的药是()。
目前划分货币供应量层次的一般依据是()。
为防止经营者背离股东目标,股东可以采取的措施有()。
乘坐火车离站的散客游客,导游应预留足够的时间给游客,一般提前()分钟到达火车站。
某学生性格过分内向,害怕在社交场合说话,觉得自己说话不自然,说话时不敢抬头,不敢正视对方眼睛。这属于()。
Suchcrimesmaybesocomplexthatmonthsoryearsgobybeforeanyone______them.
最新回复
(
0
)