Which of the following is one of Donald Mackinnon's attitudinal categories toward language use?

• A. socially acceptable or socially unacceptable
• B. economical or expensive
• C. loudly spoken or softly spoken
• D. aesthetically pleasing or dull

Answer: (A)

Attitudes to language use are about how people judge a form as socially acceptable or unacceptable in different contexts. Donald Mackinnon framed attitudinal evaluation around this social acceptability—how appropriate or inappropriate a language use is seen to be.

That’s why the best choice is the idea of socially acceptable or socially unacceptable. It directly captures the evaluative, socially based stance Mackinnon highlighted.

The other options describe cost (economical or expensive), volume (loudly spoken or softly spoken), or aesthetics (aesthetically pleasing or dull). While these are observable or value judgments, they don’t reflect the specific attitudinal dimension Mackinnon identified.