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. Affix before the root






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






3. The science that studies language






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






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






6. Using a word from another language to create a new word (cafe - deja-vu)






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






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






9. The rise and fall of sentences






10. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






11. Mental representation of a word






12. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






13. Deals with how sentences are formed






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






15. Deals with how sentences are formed






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






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






18. Change the meaning of a word - or part of speech (ex. child -> childhood)






19. Aspects of meaning having to do with different levels of formality






20. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






21. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






23. The science that studies language






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






25. Affix after the root






26. Mental representation of a word






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






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






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






30. The connection between shape and meaning is arbitrary






31. Actually saying a word - what you can do






32. Deals with how the sounds are organized






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






34. A new word






35. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






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






37. The property of the surface structure of the text to 'hold together'






38. Meanings of the same word that are unrelated (bank)






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. Aspects of meaning having to do with different levels of formality






47. Meaning components






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






49. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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