AIR 255 · CSE 2025 · ANT1 · 52 pages

Ankit Raushan: ANT1 answer copy

19 answers by Ankit Raushan, as written in the test.

The questions

  1. Q1(a)Comment on the following in about 150 words each: (a) Differentiate between sociolinguistics and ethnolinguistics.10 marks
  2. Q1(b)Code-switching and its anthropological relevance.10 marks
  3. Q1(c)National Character Studies and its relevance.10 marks
  4. Q1(d)Concept of 'habitus' as developed by Pierre Bourdieu.10 marks
  5. Q1(e)Socio-Linguistics and Ethnography of Communication.10 marks
  6. Q2(a)Explain the basic features of Post-Modernism in anthropology highlighting the work done by Jaques Derrida and Michel Foucault.20 marks
  7. Q3(b)Explain the significance of Malinowski's participant observation in shaping fieldwork methodology.15 marks
  8. Q3(c)How do anthropologists interpret accusations of witchcraft in the context of gender, power, and marginalization?15 marks
  9. Q5(a)Answer the following in about 150 words each: (a) Pattern of Culture and Special Genius.10 marks
  10. Q5(b)Contribution of David Schneider to school of Symbolic Anthropology.10 marks
  11. Q5(c)5.c) Structural-functionalism vs Structuralism.10 marks
  12. Q5(d)Sects and Cults.10 marks
  13. Q5(e)Austro-Asiatic family of Language.10 marks
  14. Q7(a)How does religious fundamentalism challenge the idea of cultural pluralism? Discuss with anthropological insight.20 marks
  15. Q7(b)Discuss Lewis Henry Morgan's evolutionary framework in anthropology. How did his theories reflect Western biases and assumptions about cultural superiority and progress?15 marks
  16. Q7(c)Briefly describe James Frazer's evolutionary model of magic, religion, and science.15 marks
  17. Q8(a)How does cultural materialism explain seemingly irrational practices in traditional societies? Use Harris's ethnographic case studies.20 marks
  18. Q8(b)Rather than dreaming up large, all-encompassing theories Boas wanted to put the discipline on a sound inductive footing. Comment.15 marks
  19. Q8(c)How do symbols act as instruments of social integration and differentiation in tribal societies? Illustrate with examples.15 marks

The answers

Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 174 words written

Comment on the following in about 150 words each: (a) Differentiate between sociolinguistics and ethnolinguistics.

Opening

Sociolinguistics and ethnolinguistics are two of the branches of linguistic anthropology.

While sociolinguistic explores how language and society impact each other, ethnolinguistic explores how language and culture impacts each other.

Body · points and prose

Differences

Close · a summary

EthnolinguisticSociolinguistic
1. explore relation b/w language and cultureExplore relation b/w language and society.
2. How language shapes culture or vice versaStudy how structure is maintained in society through use of language
3. Biocultural functionalist perspective3. Structural functionalist perspective
4. Major theories & modelSpeaking Model of Dell Hymes
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (linguistic determinism) & Cultural determinismcode switching etc.
e.g. Hebrew speaker learning gender difference quickerWomen's language being more docile [Robin Lakoff] shows power structure.
b. Finnish speaker having more accident as their language view world in 2D than Swedish speaker (3D)

Both sociolinguistic and ethnolinguistic are indispensable in understanding culture of a society as they are their carriers.