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Difficulty: MediumSingle-Sentence Inferences

Read the following sentence from a historical study on Austronesian linguistics:

"Although early twentieth-century historical linguists posited that the structural divergence among Polynesian languages was caused primarily by long periods of complete geographic isolation, recent lexicostatistical analyses demonstrate that continuous inter-island trade networks maintained significant vocabulary sharing long after the initial settlement phase."

Based on the sentence provided, which of the following statements about early twentieth-century historical linguists can be inferred?

  1. They believed that geographic isolation played a more decisive role in Polynesian language divergence than inter-island commercial interaction did.Answer
  2. B
    They conducted lexicostatistical analyses demonstrating that vocabulary sharing halted immediately following initial island settlement.
  3. C
    They claimed that complete geographic isolation caused Polynesian populations to abandon all maritime trading routes across islands.
  4. D
    They denied that Polynesian languages had undergone any measurable structural divergence since their initial settlement phase.
  5. E
    They argued that continuous vocabulary sharing was the main factor driving structural divergence among isolated island communities.

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that early twentieth-century historical linguists believed geographic isolation played a more decisive role in Polynesian language divergence than inter-island commercial interaction did.
The sentence explicitly attributes to early twentieth-century linguists the view that structural divergence was caused 'primarily by long periods of complete geographic isolation.' The contrasting clause notes that recent research emphasizes trade networks. Thus, early linguists prioritized geographic isolation over inter-island trade as an explanatory mechanism for linguistic divergence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the target sentence for core premises and contrastive logic.
The sentence consists of a subordinate clause introduced by 'Although' describing early twentieth-century linguists' view (structural divergence caused primarily by geographic isolation) and a main clause presenting recent evidence (trade networks maintained vocabulary sharing).
Single-sentence inference items require isolating the specific perspective or claim attributed to a target group.
2
Deduce the direct implication regarding early twentieth-century linguists.
Since early linguists identified geographic isolation as the primary cause of structural divergence—in contrast to the ongoing trade networks highlighted by modern research—it strictly follows that they considered isolation more influential than trade-driven contact in explaining language differences.
A valid GMAT inference must be strictly supported by the text without introducing outside assumptions.

Key Concept

Single-Sentence Logical Inference
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Topics

Single-Sentence Inferences

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