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






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






3. The science that studies language






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






11. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






12. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






13. The overall meaning of a text






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






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






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






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






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






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






20. Affix after the root






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






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






23. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






24. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






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






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






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






28. The connection between shape and meaning is arbitrary






29. Affix after the root






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






31. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






33. Actually saying a word - what you can do






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






43. The meaning of a sign






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






45. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






46. Affix in the middle of a word






47. The rise and fall of sentences






48. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






50. A word that has died out