CANDIDATE’S 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.
‘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.’

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
‘The poison is in the doctor’s house.’
‘The nurse will take the poison.’
‘The poacher takes the colonel’s 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 squire’s will.’
‘The will is in the solicitor’s house.’

Give the meaning of:

dovadim deredin lega ____________________________________
kolo kasaya ste samantse ____________________________________
Translate into Mordemis:
‘The gardener will find the artist’s knife.’ ________________________________

2
(c)
vadi dedrosni ste ‘The nurse has been strangled.’
dala atelara yedin ‘The artist goes into the studio.’
yededin barna lokara ‘The inspector will go into the pub.’
kena demo koydara koprenash ‘The murderer has taken a body into the wood.’
rolantse piso wewidno ste ‘The vicar’s letter has been found.’
greda tetirna ste ‘The colonel has been shot.’

Give the meaning of:

lecha lokaya pepetna ste _______________________________________
kisha klisara koyedash _______________________________________
Translate into Mordemis:
‘A body has been hidden in the wood.’ _____________________________________

(d)
ney kena lechabi dederna ste?
meli rolabi pepelni yoste
ney barna dodalam yokopetash?
dala domikam yotiredin
barna dolecham yokogarash
yoskorin dolegam fela
‘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.’

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?’
___________________________________________________

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