Efficiency and redundancy are contradictory characteristics of linguistic systems; however, they can be used together...

Irina July 23, 2019

@chris_va,

We can diagram the question the following way:

(1) If a spoken language is completely efficient, then every permutation of its basic language can be an understandable word.

E-> UW

IF efficient THEN an understandable word

(2) If the human auditory system is an imperfect receptor of sounds, then it is not true that every possible permutation of a spoken language's basic sounds can be an understandable word.

~PR -> ~UW

IF NOT a perfect receptor THEN NOT an understandable word

Which of the following must be true?

~PR > ~UW

is logically equivalent to:

UW -> PR

that can be combined with premise (1) to form:

E->PR

that is logically equivalent to:

~PR -> ~E

If NOT a perfect receptor then NOT efficient

That is the same statement as in the correct answer choice (E).

Let me know if you have any further questions.