Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a primary focus of linguistic inquiry?
Which of the following is NOT a primary focus of linguistic inquiry?
- Identifying the rules that govern a language's structure.
- Ascertaining if language structures are unique to particular languages.
- Determining language-specific structures to impede understanding. (correct)
- Investigating whether certain language structures are universal across all languages.
What is the primary reason linguists study a wide variety of languages?
What is the primary reason linguists study a wide variety of languages?
- To preserve dying languages without analyzing their structure
- To identify universal properties of language. (correct)
- To create a single, unified global language.
- To promote specific languages over others.
Which statement best describes the relationship between linguistic structure and speaker intent?
Which statement best describes the relationship between linguistic structure and speaker intent?
- Linguistic structure obscures speaker intent making communication unreliable
- Linguistic structure always perfectly reflects a speaker's intent.
- Linguistic structure provides a framework that speakers use to convey their intent. (correct)
- Speaker intent is entirely independent of linguistic structure.
A linguist is studying a language with a complex system of noun classes that affect verb agreement. Which area of linguistic study is MOST directly involved?
A linguist is studying a language with a complex system of noun classes that affect verb agreement. Which area of linguistic study is MOST directly involved?
A researcher is investigating how children acquire the rules for forming plurals in their native language. Which area of linguistics is this?
A researcher is investigating how children acquire the rules for forming plurals in their native language. Which area of linguistics is this?
Why is the study of language variation important to linguistics?
Why is the study of language variation important to linguistics?
Which of the following is NOT a key property that linguists use to describe language?
Which of the following is NOT a key property that linguists use to describe language?
What does it mean to say that language is 'arbitrary'?
What does it mean to say that language is 'arbitrary'?
Which best illustrates the concept of 'displacement' in language?
Which best illustrates the concept of 'displacement' in language?
A linguist observes that speakers of a particular language frequently omit certain sounds in casual conversation, but pronounce them carefully in formal settings. Which area of linguistics is best suited to study this?
A linguist observes that speakers of a particular language frequently omit certain sounds in casual conversation, but pronounce them carefully in formal settings. Which area of linguistics is best suited to study this?
Which of these questions would a descriptive linguist be most interested in?
Which of these questions would a descriptive linguist be most interested in?
What is the primary goal of phonetics?
What is the primary goal of phonetics?
A language uses tones to distinguish between words with otherwise identical sounds (e.g., a high tone means 'cat' and a low tone means 'dog'). Which branch of linguistics studies this aspect of the language?
A language uses tones to distinguish between words with otherwise identical sounds (e.g., a high tone means 'cat' and a low tone means 'dog'). Which branch of linguistics studies this aspect of the language?
The word 'unbreakable' is formed by adding the prefixes 'un-' and 'break' and the suffix '-able' to the root 'break.' Which area of linguistics studies how words are formed in this way?
The word 'unbreakable' is formed by adding the prefixes 'un-' and 'break' and the suffix '-able' to the root 'break.' Which area of linguistics studies how words are formed in this way?
In the sentence, 'The cat chased the mouse,' what is the relationship between the words that syntax studies?
In the sentence, 'The cat chased the mouse,' what is the relationship between the words that syntax studies?
What is the primary focus of semantics in linguistics?
What is the primary focus of semantics in linguistics?
A linguist is studying how people use language in real-world conversations, taking into account context, social relationships, and implied meanings. Which area of linguistics is this?
A linguist is studying how people use language in real-world conversations, taking into account context, social relationships, and implied meanings. Which area of linguistics is this?
Which of the following sentences demonstrates an understanding of linguistic competence, even if the sentence is not one a person would likely say?
Which of the following sentences demonstrates an understanding of linguistic competence, even if the sentence is not one a person would likely say?
Which factor MOST influences language change over time?
Which factor MOST influences language change over time?
A researcher compares vocabulary from several languages and identifies systematic sound correspondences, suggesting a common ancestor language. Which field of linguistics is this?
A researcher compares vocabulary from several languages and identifies systematic sound correspondences, suggesting a common ancestor language. Which field of linguistics is this?
Flashcards
Linguistics objective
Linguistics objective
Linguistics explores language structures to enhance understanding, not to prevent it.
Study Notes
- Linguistics seeks to understand the rules that govern a language's structure.
- Linguistics explores whether language structures are universal.
- Linguistics investigates if language structures are particular.
- Language particular structures to deter understanding is NOT one of the determinations of linguistics.
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