The widespread use of social media enables linguists to study changes in language usage in real time. A notable recent...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The widespread use of social media enables linguists to study changes in language usage in real time. A notable recent example is the proliferation of the affix meng- among speakers of Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia. Linguists observed meng- originate as an onomatopoeic tag that social-media users applied to images of cats they posted; over time, users increasingly applied it as a prefix to existing words (e.g., mengsedih affixes meng- to the word for sad) in text that they posted. From there, it has begun to move into spoken Bahasa Indonesia. Linguists have noted many similar examples of this phenomenon occurring in other languages, suggesting that social media ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
is more useful for studying informal language than for studying formal or official language.
appears to be exerting an exceptionally strong influence on the evolution of Bahasa Indonesia.
may give linguists a somewhat misleading sense of how languages are changing.
does not merely register changes in language usage but can facilitate such changes.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The widespread use of social media enables linguists to study changes in language usage in real time." |
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| "A notable recent example is the proliferation of the affix meng- among speakers of Bahasa Indonesia, the official language of Indonesia." |
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| "Linguists observed meng- originate as an onomatopoeic tag that social-media users applied to images of cats they posted;" |
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| "over time, users increasingly applied it as a prefix to existing words (e.g., mengsedih affixes meng- to the word for sad) in text that they posted." |
|
| "From there, it has begun to move into spoken Bahasa Indonesia." |
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| "Linguists have noted many similar examples of this phenomenon occurring in other languages, suggesting that social media ______" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Social media enables linguists to study language changes in real time, and evidence suggests it plays an active role in facilitating these changes.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that social media allows real-time language study, then provides a detailed example showing how a linguistic element progressed from social media usage to spoken language. It concludes by noting this pattern occurs in multiple languages, setting up an inference about social media's broader role in language evolution.
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
- The key pattern we see is progression: social media usage to broader social media usage to spoken language
- This shows social media as the starting point where new linguistic patterns begin and then spread outward
- The meng- example demonstrates that social media creates new usage patterns that then influence spoken language
- Since this happens in multiple languages, we can infer that social media doesn't just observe or record language changes, but actively participates in creating and spreading them
is more useful for studying informal language than for studying formal or official language.
✗ Incorrect
- This choice focuses on social media being better for studying informal vs. formal language
- The passage shows how social media usage influences language evolution, not comparing types of language study
appears to be exerting an exceptionally strong influence on the evolution of Bahasa Indonesia.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims social media has exceptionally strong influence specifically on Bahasa Indonesia
- The passage explicitly states there are many similar examples in other languages, contradicting the idea that this is unique to Indonesian
may give linguists a somewhat misleading sense of how languages are changing.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests social media gives a misleading sense of language changes
- The passage presents the social media evidence as valid and useful for linguists
does not merely register changes in language usage but can facilitate such changes.
✓ Correct
- Captures that social media does not merely register changes but can facilitate them
- This perfectly matches the progression from social media origin to social media text use to spoken language