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 sequence of sounds that make up a word






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






3. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






4. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






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






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






8. Aspects of meaning concerning other meanings of an expression that may be activated when irrelevant (cock)






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






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






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






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






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






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






15. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






16. Combined phonemes - the smallest unit of language with a distinct meaning






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






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






19. Deals with how sentences are formed






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






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






22. The principle of cooperation that requires you be as informative as required but not more than that






23. Meaning components






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






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






26. The ability to produce language - what you know






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






28. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






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






30. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






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






33. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






34. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






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






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






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






38. An utterance produced by a speaker






39. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






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






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






42. Affix before the root






43. Moving parts of a sentence into different positions for emphatic purposes






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. A word that has died out