CEFR Sociolinguistic Appropriateness 3

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of 'negative politeness' in sociolinguistics?

Accepted Answer

Saying 'I don't want to bother you, but...' before a request

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

The register of academic writing requires formal, standard language

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

Knowing how to use greetings, address forms, and expletives appropriately

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

An utterance that threatens the positive or negative face of the speaker or listener

Answer

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'?

Accepted Answer

C1

Answer

C1 users demonstrate sophisticated sociolinguistic competence, including the flexible use of language for humor, allusion, and emotional expression.

CEFR - Common European Framework Practice Test

CEFR - Common European Framework Practice Test

CEFR Sociolinguistic Appropriateness 3