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






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






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






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






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






6. One who knows many languages






7. The ability to produce language - what you know






8. The meaning of a sign






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






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






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






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






13. Affix after the root






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






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






16. Breaking a word down by the way it looks and adding morphemes (workaholic - veggieburger)






17. Meaning components






18. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






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






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






21. Affix after the root






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






23. Actually saying a word - what you can do






24. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






25. Required by syntax - mark grammatical categories (plurality - tense - comparative - etc) suffixes only






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






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






28. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






29. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






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






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






32. Deals with how the sounds are organized






33. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






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






35. Meaning components






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






37. Mental representation of a word






38. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






39. The science that studies language






40. A word that has died out






41. Affix before the root






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






43. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






45. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






46. The rise and fall of sentences






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






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






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






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