CEFR Sociolinguistic Appropriateness 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of 'negative politeness' in sociolinguistics?
- Complimenting someone on their appearance
- Giving an unsolicited gift
- Saying 'I don't want to bother you, but...' before a request (Correct answer)
- Using someone's first name immediately upon meeting them
Correct answer: Saying 'I don't want to bother you, but...' before a request
Negative politeness minimizes imposition on the listener by acknowledging their autonomy and right not to be disturbed.
Question 2: A student uses 'gonna' and 'wanna' in a written academic essay. This is considered sociolinguistically inappropriate because:
- These words do not exist in any English dictionary
- The register of academic writing requires formal, standard language (Correct answer)
- Contractions are grammatically incorrect in all contexts
- The examiner may not understand informal vocabulary
Correct answer: The register of academic writing requires formal, standard language
Academic writing requires a formal register, and colloquial contractions like 'gonna' violate the expected norms of that genre.
Question 3: In CEFR's sociolinguistic descriptors, 'linguistic markers of social relations' refers to:
- Using grammar correctly in social situations
- Knowing how to use greetings, address forms, and expletives appropriately (Correct answer)
- Understanding regional pronunciation differences
- Translating idioms accurately between languages
Correct answer: Knowing how to use greetings, address forms, and expletives appropriately
Linguistic markers of social relations include the socially appropriate use of greetings, terms of address, and conversational openers and closers.
Question 4: What does 'face-threatening act' (FTA) mean in sociolinguistic theory?
- Making eye contact during a difficult conversation
- An utterance that threatens the positive or negative face of the speaker or listener (Correct answer)
- Using aggressive body language while speaking
- Speaking too quickly for a listener to understand
Correct answer: An utterance that threatens the positive or negative face of the speaker or listener
A face-threatening act, from Brown and Levinson's politeness theory, is any communicative act that risks damaging someone's public self-image.
Question 5: Which CEFR level descriptor states a user 'can use language flexibly and effectively for social purposes, including emotional, allusive and joking usage'?
- A2
- B1
- B2
- C1 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: C1
C1 users demonstrate sophisticated sociolinguistic competence, including the flexible use of language for humor, allusion, and emotional expression.
Question 6: A job applicant is asked 'Tell me about yourself.' They respond with a personal anecdote about their childhood pet. This response is sociolinguistically inappropriate because:
- The applicant used incorrect grammar
- The response does not match the professional genre expectations of a job interview (Correct answer)
- Personal stories are always considered rude in English
- The applicant spoke for too long
Correct answer: The response does not match the professional genre expectations of a job interview
In a job interview context, responses are expected to be professionally framed; a childhood pet anecdote misreads the social and genre expectations.
Question 7: In the US, which form of address is generally most appropriate when first meeting a professor in an academic setting?
- Hey, buddy
- First name only
- Professor [Last Name] or Dr. [Last Name] (Correct answer)
- Sir or Ma'am only
Correct answer: Professor [Last Name] or Dr. [Last Name]
Using a professional title with the last name shows respect and matches the formal power dynamic in academic contexts in the US.
CEFR Sociolinguistic Appropriateness 3
Which of the following is an example of 'negative politeness' in sociolinguistics?