NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

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How can false cognates be defined?

Words that are completely unrelated
Words that sound different but share meanings
Words that appear similar but have different meanings
Words that are commonly used in idioms

The correct answer is: Words that appear similar but have different meanings

False cognates are defined as words that appear similar in two languages but have different meanings. This situation can lead to confusion for language learners, who might assume that these words share the same meaning simply because they look or sound alike. For example, in English and Spanish, the word "embarrassed" means feeling self-conscious or ashamed in English, while the Spanish "embarazada" translates to "pregnant." The similar appearance of these words can mislead learners. The other definitions do not accurately capture the essence of false cognates; words that are completely unrelated would not fit into any comparison, and words that sound different but share meanings would describe true cognates rather than false ones. Additionally, words commonly used in idioms do not relate specifically to the concept of cognates, whether false or true, as idiomatic expressions may not share similar structures or meanings across languages.