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. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






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






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






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






6. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






7. 1. Quality or timbre 2. Volume 3. Length 4. Pitch or tone






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






9. Actually saying a word - what you can do






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






11. Deals with how sounds are put together to form words






12. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






13. A sentence in context






14. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






15. Two linked turns by different speakers which make sense only taken together (How are you? Fine. How about you?)






16. The ability to produce language - what you know






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






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






19. Deals with how the sounds are organized






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






30. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






31. The overall meaning of a text






32. 1. Representations 2. Directives 3. Expressives 4. Commissives 5. Declaratives






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






34. The rise and fall of sentences






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






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






37. When a public body decides which language will be taught in schools - what languages public employees must know - etc






38. One who knows many languages






39. Affix after the root






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






41. What can be deduced from the sentence's literal meaning






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






43. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






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






45. Multiword units - the meaning of which is not the sum of its parts






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






47. The meaning of a sign






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






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






50. When a public body decides which language will be taught in schools - what languages public employees must know - etc