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






2. 1. Airstream 2. Phonation 3. Nasalization 4. Articulation






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






4. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






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






6. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






7. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






8. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






9. A word that has died out






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






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






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






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






14. An utterance produced by a speaker






15. Mental representation of a word






16. Affix in the middle of a word






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






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






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






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






21. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






22. Meaning components






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






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






25. The ability to produce language - what you know






26. The rise and fall of sentences






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






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






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






30. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






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






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






34. Parts of a word are translated from other languages to create a new word (Fernsprecher)






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






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






37. Deals with how the sounds are organized






38. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






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






40. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






41. The rise and fall of sentences






42. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






44. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






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






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






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






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






50. Deals with how the sounds are organized