In the spread of language, which statement distinguishes expansion diffusion from relocation diffusion?

In the spread of language, which statement distinguishes expansion diffusion from relocation diffusion?

• A. Expansion diffusion involves migrants moving to a new area.
• B. Expansion diffusion spreads a trait within a place or to neighboring areas without moving the source.
• C. Relocation diffusion occurs only through media.
• D. Relocation diffusion spreads a trait by updating it within the original place.

Answer: (B)

Expansion diffusion spreads a language trait outward from its origin while the original speakers stay in place. It can reach neighboring areas or spread within the same region without the source moving. That matches the statement that a trait expands within a place or to nearby areas without the source relocating. Relocation diffusion, by contrast, involves people moving to new places and carrying the language with them, so diffusion occurs through migration rather than just spreading from the origin. The other options misstate the mechanism: migrating to a new area describes relocation diffusion; diffusion through media isn’t the defining feature of relocation; and updating the trait in the original place doesn’t describe relocation diffusion.

Expansion diffusion spreads a language trait outward from its origin while the original speakers stay in place. It can reach neighboring areas or spread within the same region without the source moving. That matches the statement that a trait expands within a place or to nearby areas without the source relocating. Relocation diffusion, by contrast, involves people moving to new places and carrying the language with them, so diffusion occurs through migration rather than just spreading from the origin. The other options misstate the mechanism: migrating to a new area describes relocation diffusion; diffusion through media isn’t the defining feature of relocation; and updating the trait in the original place doesn’t describe relocation diffusion.