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. Mental representation of a word






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






3. A new word






4. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






5. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






6. One who knows many languages






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






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






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






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






11. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






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






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






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






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






16. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






17. The overall meaning of a text






18. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






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






20. The meaning of a sign






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






22. The science that studies language






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






24. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






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






26. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






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






29. Affix before the root






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






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






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






33. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






35. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






37. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






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






39. Deals with how the sounds are organized






40. Affix in the middle of a word






41. A sentence in context






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






43. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






44. Deals with how sentences are formed






45. Aspects of meaning concerning other meanings of an expression that may be activated when irrelevant (cock)






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






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






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






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






50. Actually saying a word - what you can do