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






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






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






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






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






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






7. The branch of pragmatics that studies deictic words






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






9. A syntactic phenomenon where a given constituent is in a constituent of the same kind






10. Affix before the root






11. Actually saying a word - what you can do






12. The rise and fall of sentences






13. Putting two old words together to make a new word (railway)






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






15. The branch of pragmatics that studies deictic words






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






17. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






18. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






19. The situation in which a sentence is uttered






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






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






22. The principle of cooperation that requires relevance






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






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






25. Morphemes that can appear alone (cat)






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






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






28. A sentence in which no transformation has been applied






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






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






31. The sequence of sounds that make up a word






32. One who knows many languages






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






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






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






36. A sentence in context






37. Deals with how the sounds are organized






38. A syntactic phenomenon where a given constituent is in a constituent of the same kind






39. Affix after the root






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






41. Actually saying a word - what you can do






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






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






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






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






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






47. The meaning derived from flouting






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






49. A sentence in context






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