CANDIDATES NAME AND INITIALS ...................................................................

THE COLLEGES OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY LINGUISTIC APTITUDE TEST Specimen of Written Test Issued 2010 Time allowed: 30 minutes

For candidates applying for a Modern Language course which includes the study of Linguistics in the first year: Italian R300, Italian with Polish RR3T, Modern Greek Q710, Modern Greek with Polish Q7R7, Portuguese R500, Portuguese with Polish R5R7, Russian R711, Russian with Polish R791, Spanish R400, Spanish with Polish R4R7 For candidates applying for a joint course in Modern Languages and Linguistics: French and Linguistics RQ11, German and Linguistics RQ21, Italian and Linguistics RQ31, Modern Greek and Linguistics QQ71, Portuguese and Linguistics RQ51, Russian and Linguistics RQ71, Spanish and Linguistics RQ41 For candidates applying for a course including Beginners Russian: Celtic and Beginners Russian QR57, Czech (with Slovak) and Beginners Russian R792, French and Beginners Russian RR17 , German and Beginners Russian RR27, Italian and Beginners Russian RRH7, Modern Greek and Beginners Russian QR7R, Portuguese and Beginners Russian RR57, Spanish and Beginners Russian RR47

1. Please check the lists above and tick the appropriate box: I am applying for a course including Linguistics I am applying for a course including Beginners Russian 2. Write your answers in the spaces provided on the paper. (You may, if you wish, also write your rough work on the paper.) 3. Please take care to write very clearly. TURN OVER

The questions in this section are based on an invented language, called Mordemis. Read each group of examples carefully, paying particular attention to different forms of words and working out what information they convey (just as in English there are differences between e.g. cat and cats, or beckon and beckoned). Word order in Mordemis is different from that of English and is not entirely fixed; it is not a reliable guide to the meaning of sentences. Note also that Mordemis has nothing corresponding to English the and a(n), so that e.g. flori may be translated as the barmaid or a barmaid. You are advised to work through the questions in this section in the order in which they are given, as the later ones presuppose some information or vocabulary supplied in the earlier examples. (a) kisha dogafam kotirash flori konekash dogredam kisha drosin doflorim doflorim lecha kowidash pelin goli domelim dobarnam kopelash rola barna dolecham kopetash widin dogafam fela. Give the meaning of: greda dofelam petin kisha kodrosash dogolim Translate into Mordemis: The postmistress seduces the vicar. _______________________________________ (b) velo felantse kasaya ste vadi velo prenedin prenin sama gredantse kolo dala kuto atelaya helin peledin dala domikam rola piso heledin klisaya barna gafantse testo derin testo kasaya ste legantse Give the meaning of: dovadim deredin lega kolo kasaya ste samantse Translate into Mordemis: The gardener will find the artists knife. ________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ The poison is in the doctors house. The nurse will take the poison. The poacher takes the colonels gun. The artist hides a knife in the studio. The artist will call the gardener. The vicar will hide a letter in the church. The inspector sees the squires will. The will is in the solicitors house. _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Someone has shot the squire. The barmaid has seduced the colonel. Someone strangles the barmaid. The milkman has found the barmaid. The librarian calls the postmistress. The vicar has called the inspector. The inspector has questioned the milkman. The doctor finds the squire.

(c) vadi dedrosni ste dala atelara yedin yededin barna lokara kena demo koydara koprenash rolantse piso wewidno ste greda tetirna ste Give the meaning of: lecha lokaya pepetna ste kisha klisara koyedash Translate into Mordemis: A body has been hidden in the wood. _____________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ The nurse has been strangled. The artist goes into the studio. The inspector will go into the pub. The murderer has taken a body into the wood. The vicars letter has been found. The colonel has been shot.

(d) ney kena lechabi dederna ste? meli rolabi pepelni yoste ney barna dodalam yokopetash? dala domikam yotiredin barna dolecham yokogarash yoskorin dolegam fela Give the meaning of: kuto samabi peprenno yoste_______________________________________ ney lega dalabi seskorna ste? Translate into Mordemis: Has the murderer not been arrested by the inspector? ___________________________________________________ _______________________________________ Has the murderer been seen by the milkman? The postmistress has not been called by the vicar. Has the inspector not questioned the artist? The artist will not shoot the gardener. The inspector has not arrested the milkman. The doctor is not blackmailing the solicitor.

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