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






2. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






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






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






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






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






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






8. Actually saying a word - what you can do






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






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






11. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






12. A sentence in context






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






14. A new word






15. Affix in the middle of a word






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






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






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






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






20. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






21. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






23. The science that studies language






24. Affix after the root






25. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






27. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






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






29. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






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






31. Invent new words from scratch (Xerox - Kleenex)






32. A sentence in context






33. The science that studies language






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






35. One who knows many languages






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






37. All aspects of meaning that go beyond the sense of the word - or the literal meaning






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






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






40. Deals with how the sounds are organized






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






42. The rise and fall of sentences






43. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






44. Deals with how sentences are formed






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






46. The ability to produce language - what you know






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






48. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






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






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