April 1, 1999

Dear Respondent,

I am helping a colleague study words for watercourses in English. Perhaps you would not mind helping me help her by answering the following questions ? Your participation is voluntary; you do not have to answer anything you wish not to answer; you do not have to turn this in if you don't want to. If I do not immediately retrieve the sheet from you, please send it to me (or drop it off for me) at the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521.

Thank you very much.

David Kronenfeld

1) For each of the following words for kinds of watercourses, please indicate whether 1) it is in your active speaking vocabulary, or 2) if not, whether you know what it means and understand it clearly when others use it, or 3) if not, whether you are at least vaguely familiar with it but unsure what it means, or 4) if not, whether you are totally unfamiliar with it. Put a check in the proper column.

name 1) active 2) understand 3) heard of 4)unfamiliar

river ____ _____ _____ _____

stream ____ _____ _____ _____

creek ____ _____ _____ _____

brook ____ _____ _____ _____

bourn ____ _____ _____ _____

branch ____ _____ _____ _____

rill ____ _____ _____ _____
 
 

2) Background: A "dog" is a kind of "animal", BUT an "animal" is NOT a kind of "dog". "Animals" include "dogs", BUT "dogs" do NOT include "animals". A "cat" is NOT a kind of "dog" AND a "dog" is NOT a kind of "cat".

For each of the following pairs of watercourse terms, please indicate if either can be considered a kind of the other. In each case tell me which is a kind of which--or tell me "neither" if the situation is like cats and dogs. For each of the following pairs, write the MORE inclusive term in the blank; e.g. if, for you, a stream is a kind of river, then write in riv., or if, for you, a river is a kind of stream then write in str; write "n" in the blank if neither is a kind of the other. If you don't know, simple write in a question mark ("?").

river - stream ______ stream - creek ______ creek - brook ______ brook - branch ______

river - creek ______ stream - bourn ______ creek - branch ______ brook - rill ______

river - bourn ______ stream - brook ______ creek - rill ______ branch - rill ______

river - brook ______ stream - branch ______ bourn - brook ______

river - branch ______ stream - rill ______ bourn - branch ______

river - rill ______ creek - bourn ______ bourn - rill ______
 
 
 
 

3) Background: "Cat" is opposed in meaning to "dog"; that is, represents an alternative (or opposed or opposite) kind of animal in at least some context. If "cat" is opposed in meaning to "dog" then it automatically follows that "dog" is opposed in meaning to "cat". "Dog" is NOT opposed in meaning to "animal"--since it is a kind of "animal". "Dog" is NOT opposed in meaning to "adult" or to "brown"--since these are just logically unrelated entities (even if they may possibly apply to dogs). "Kitten" and "kitty" are largely synonymous; that is, they mean pretty much the same thing.

For each of the following pairs of watercourse terms, please indicate whether or not ("yes" or "no) the two terms are opposed in meaning to each other. Write "same" if they seem to you basically synonymous. Again, a question mark if you don't know.

river - stream ______ stream - creek ______ creek - brook ______ brook - branch ______

river - creek ______ stream - bourn ______ creek - branch ______ brook - rill ______

river - bourn ______ stream - brook ______ creek - rill ______ branch - rill ______

river - brook ______ stream - branch ______ bourn - brook ______

river - branch ______ stream - rill ______ bourn - branch ______

river - rill ______ creek - bourn ______ bourn - rill ______
 
 
 
 

Personal Background: Please tell me your sex: ___; State or nation of birth: _________________________

States or countries you have lived in for significant periods of time:

Native language:___________; Languages spoken: ________________________________