Test your basic knowledge |

Linguistics Basics

Subject : humanities
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






2. Invent new words from scratch (Xerox - Kleenex)






3. Shift in meaning (drink a glass of water)






4. A new word






5. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






6. Noam Chomsky's idea that the principles that govern grammar are genetically programmed in human beings






7. What we say in a literal sense (speech act)






8. The science that studies language






9. Describing the facts - Tries to determine why people use language the way they do - seeks to find the rules that govern spoken language






10. Deals with how sentences are formed






11. A transformation in which you add an auxiliary verb and switching to question format






12. Actually saying a word - what you can do






13. Deals with how sentences are formed






14. A syntactic phenomenon where a given constituent is in a constituent of the same kind






15. The connection between shape and meaning is arbitrary






16. 1. Airstream 2. Phonation 3. Nasalization 4. Articulation






17. The Principle of cooperation that states that one does not say what is false or what you lack evidence for






18. The set of sentences that must be true for the sentence to be true






19. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






20. A word that has died out






21. A sentence in context






22. Describing the facts - Tries to determine why people use language the way they do - seeks to find the rules that govern spoken language






23. A transformation in which you shift the object of a sentence (Mary gave a book to John --> Mary gave John a book)






24. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






25. Core meaning - corresponds to a sign's sense or intension - the literal meaning of a word






26. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






27. One who knows many languages






28. 1. Vowels (no obstruction) 2. Stops (complete obstruction) 3. Fricatives (Partial occlusion)






29. The rise and fall of sentences






30. The object which you can see - touch - hear - or smell






31. A transformation in which you change the voice of the sentence (Mary stoop up John --> John was stood up by Mary)






32. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






33. Shift in meaning (drink a glass of water)






34. A transformation in which you change the voice of the sentence (Mary stoop up John --> John was stood up by Mary)






35. One who knows many languages






36. The Principle of cooperation that states that one does not say what is false or what you lack evidence for






37. Purposefully violating one of the principles/maxims of cooperation






38. Words that depend on the context of a sentence for meaning (I - here - now)






39. Occurs when words have been disambigued and a sentence has a clear meaning






40. How sentences and texts are used in the world(context)






41. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






42. Purposefully violating one of the principles/maxims of cooperation






43. Aspects of meaning having to do with feelings or attitudes of speakers (liberal - terrorist)






44. The effect an utterance has on its audience (speech act)






45. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






46. The principle of cooperation that states to avoid obscurity and ambiguity - be brief and orderly






47. Used by linguists to represent sounds in the languages of the world






48. Two words of different meanings that differ in only one phoneme (bit and pit - dog and dock)






49. Two words of different meanings that differ in only one phoneme (bit and pit - dog and dock)






50. The overall meaning of a text