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






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






3. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






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






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






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






7. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






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






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






10. The word that connects the meaning and the referent






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






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






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






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






15. The connection between shape and meaning is arbitrary






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






17. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






18. Actually saying a word - what you can do






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






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






21. Aspects of meaning evoked by cultural or literary codes






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






23. An utterance produced by a speaker






24. Deals with how the sounds are organized






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






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






27. Meaning components






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






29. The overall meaning of a text






30. Affix in the middle of a word






31. Deals with how sentences are formed






32. A sentence in context






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






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






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






36. The rise and fall of sentences






37. The science that studies language






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






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






40. Affix in the middle of a word






41. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






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






43. Affix after the root






44. Affix before the root






45. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






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






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






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






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






50. A transformation in which you divide the phrasal verb (Mary stood up John --> Mary stoop John up)