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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. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






3. Required by syntax - mark grammatical categories (plurality - tense - comparative - etc) suffixes only






4. The science that studies language






5. The overall meaning of a text






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






16. Blending two existing words (motel - brunch)






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






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






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






20. Affix before the root






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






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






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






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






25. The connection between shape and meaning is arbitrary






26. The overall meaning of a text






27. Having more than one meaning (polysemy)






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






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






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






31. Actually saying a word - what you can do






32. Deals with how the sounds are organized






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






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






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






36. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






38. Provides information about the group to which individuals belong






39. The vocabulary of a speaker/language






40. Required by syntax - mark grammatical categories (plurality - tense - comparative - etc) suffixes only






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






42. Mental representation of a word






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






44. The branch of pragmatics that studies deictic words






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






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






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






48. Affix after the root






49. The rise and fall of sentences






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







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