A word pair that is similar in spelling and meaning across two languages is called a:

A word pair that is similar in spelling and meaning across two languages is called a:

• A. True cognates
• B. False cognates
• C. Cognates
• D. Paronyms

Answer: (A)

Two words in different languages that come from a shared ancestor and look alike with the same meaning are true cognates. This pair fits that description because they share spelling and meaning across languages, reflecting a common origin. The general term cognates could include words that are related but not identical in form or meaning, so labeling them as true cognates is the precise match here. If words look alike but have different meanings, they’re false cognates, which can be misleading. Paronyms describe similarly formed words that may cause confusion but aren’t defined by sharing meaning or origin. A simple example is English and Spanish words like animal that look and mean the same, illustrating true cognates.

Two words in different languages that come from a shared ancestor and look alike with the same meaning are true cognates. This pair fits that description because they share spelling and meaning across languages, reflecting a common origin. The general term cognates could include words that are related but not identical in form or meaning, so labeling them as true cognates is the precise match here. If words look alike but have different meanings, they’re false cognates, which can be misleading. Paronyms describe similarly formed words that may cause confusion but aren’t defined by sharing meaning or origin. A simple example is English and Spanish words like animal that look and mean the same, illustrating true cognates.