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






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






3. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






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






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






6. The rise and fall of sentences






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






8. A single sound. K - d - t - e






9. A black and white - right and wrong approach to language - traditional - seeks to impose outside arbitrary rules






10. The fact that saying something commits you to it (vow - promise - swearing) (speech act)






11. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






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






14. Affix after the root






15. The branch of pragmatics that studies deictic words






16. Meaning components






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






18. The meaning of a sign






19. Using the initial letters of a set of words (NFL - NASA)






20. A transformation in which you divide the phrasal verb (Mary stood up John --> Mary stoop John up)






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






22. Historical - shows how language has changed through time - traces the etymology of words






23. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






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






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






26. The overall meaning of a text






27. Associations that an individual/small group may develop through everyday experiences (inside joke)






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






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






30. The fact that saying something commits you to it (vow - promise - swearing) (speech act)






31. Shortening a longer word (phone - auto) to create new words






32. Deals with the meaning of words - sentences - and texts






33. Aspects of meaning having to do with the linguistic environment in which the expression occurs (cease and desist)






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






35. A word that has died out






36. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






37. A sentence in context






38. Putting two old words together to make a new word (railway)






39. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






41. Using the initial letters of a set of words (NFL - NASA)






42. Figurative use of meaning (Bob is a pig)






43. Affix before the root






44. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






45. Describes how language words today or at any given moment in time - not concerned with origin/history






46. Actually saying a word - what you can do






47. Historical - shows how language has changed through time - traces the etymology of words






48. A black and white - right and wrong approach to language - traditional - seeks to impose outside arbitrary rules






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






50. The meaning derived from flouting