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






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






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






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






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






6. The meaning derived from flouting






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






14. Mental representation of a word






15. A word that has died out






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






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






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






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






20. Affix in the middle of a word






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






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






23. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






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






25. The science that studies language






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






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






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






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






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






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






32. An utterance produced by a speaker






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






34. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






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






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






38. The meaning of a sign






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






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






41. The branch of pragmatics that studies deictic words






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






43. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






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






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






46. One who knows many languages






47. Affix before the root






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






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






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