Question

While all anthropologists study humanity in some form, the subfields are quite different. Identify which of the following tasks an archaeologist would do, and which tasks another kind of anthropologist would do?

A) Excavating and analyzing ancient human artifacts.
B) Conducting surveys and interviews to understand contemporary social structures.
C) Studying the cultural practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples.
D) Analyzing the linguistic patterns and evolution of a specific language group.

Answer 1

Archaeologists excavate and analyze ancient human artifacts, cultural anthropologists study the cultural practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples, and linguistic anthropologists analyze the linguistic patterns and evolution of specific language groups.

Step-by-step explanation:

Archaeologists are responsible for excavating and analyzing ancient human artifacts. They study the material remains left behind by past civilizations to understand their technologies, social practices, and ideas. An example of what an archaeologist would do is discovering and analyzing pottery shards or tools from an ancient civilization.

On the other hand, cultural anthropologists study the cultural practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples. They conduct surveys and interviews to understand contemporary social structures. For instance, they may examine the cultural practices of a particular indigenous tribe in order to understand their social traditions and how they influence their daily lives.

Linguistic anthropologists, on the other hand, analyze the linguistic patterns and evolution of a specific language group. They focus on understanding how language shapes and is shaped by other cultural elements. An example of what a linguistic anthropologist would do is studying the changes and variations in language usage among different generations within a particular community.