Linguists studying endangered languages have struggled to document the grammatical structures of many indigenous languages, typically relying on syste...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Linguists studying endangered languages have struggled to document the grammatical structures of many indigenous languages, typically relying on systematic analysis of written texts and formal linguistic corpora. However, fieldwork specialist Dr. Elena Rodriguez and other community-based researchers have successfully mapped the complex syntax of several unwritten languages facing extinction. One explanation for this difference is that traditional linguistic analysis depends heavily on standardized textual materials, which simply do not exist for most indigenous languages that have remained exclusively oral.
Which statement about Rodriguez and other community-based researchers is best supported by information in the text?
They likely have different views about which grammatical features should be considered complex than traditional linguists do.
They likely employ different forms of data collection than linguists typically studying endangered languages use.
They likely use different analytical frameworks for examining written texts and linguistic corpora than traditional linguists do.
They likely believe indigenous languages are more sophisticated than traditional linguists suggest.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Linguists studying endangered languages have struggled to document the grammatical structures of many indigenous languages," |
|
| "typically relying on systematic analysis of written texts and formal linguistic corpora." |
|
| "However, fieldwork specialist Dr. Elena Rodriguez and other community-based researchers have successfully mapped the complex syntax of several unwritten languages facing extinction." |
|
| "One explanation for this difference is that traditional linguistic analysis depends heavily on standardized textual materials," |
|
| "which simply do not exist for most indigenous languages that have remained exclusively oral." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Community-based researchers like Rodriguez have been more successful than traditional linguists at documenting unwritten indigenous languages because traditional methods depend on written materials that these oral languages lack.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- From our analysis, we know that Rodriguez and community-based researchers succeeded where traditional linguists struggled
- The passage explains this difference by pointing out that traditional methods depend on written materials that don't exist for oral indigenous languages
- This suggests Rodriguez and others must be using different approaches than traditional linguists
They likely have different views about which grammatical features should be considered complex than traditional linguists do.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims they have different views about which grammatical features are complex
- The passage doesn't discuss different opinions about complexity
They likely employ different forms of data collection than linguists typically studying endangered languages use.
✓ Correct
- States they use different forms of data collection than traditional linguists
- Matches our analysis - traditional linguists rely on written texts but these don't exist for oral languages Rodriguez studies
They likely use different analytical frameworks for examining written texts and linguistic corpora than traditional linguists do.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims they use different frameworks for analyzing written texts
- But the languages Rodriguez studies are unwritten - there are no written texts to analyze
They likely believe indigenous languages are more sophisticated than traditional linguists suggest.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims they believe indigenous languages are more sophisticated
- The passage doesn't compare beliefs about sophistication levels