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






2. Affix in the middle of a word






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






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






5. The connection between shape and meaning is arbitrary






6. Mental representation of a word






7. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






8. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






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






11. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






12. Affix after the root






13. A new word






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






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






16. A word that has died out






17. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






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






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






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






21. Deals with the sounds of a language






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






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






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






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






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






27. Adding derivational morphemes to create new words (to fax)






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






29. Meaning components






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






31. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






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






34. The ability to produce language - what you know






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






36. Mental representation of a word






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






38. The meaning derived from flouting






39. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






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






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






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






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






44. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






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






47. A transformation in which you add a negation word to the sentence






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






49. A transformation in which you add a negation word to the sentence






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