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. A transformation in which you change the voice of the sentence (Mary stoop up John --> John was stood up by Mary)






2. The meaning of a sign






3. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






4. One who knows many languages






5. One who knows many languages






6. An utterance produced by a speaker






7. Used by linguists to represent sounds in the languages of the world






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






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






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






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






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






13. Actually saying a word - what you can do






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






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






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






17. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






18. The science that studies language






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






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






21. Affixes - need to attach to another morpheme






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






23. The meaning derived from flouting






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






25. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






26. Deals with how sentences are formed






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






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






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






30. The ability to produce language - what you know






31. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






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






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






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






35. Affix after the root






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






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






38. The overall meaning of a text






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






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






41. Affix in the middle of a word






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






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






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






45. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






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






47. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






48. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






49. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






50. The branch of pragmatics that studies deictic words