Introduction to Linguistics
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following best describes an allomorph?

  • A variant pronunciation or spelling of a morpheme based on context. (correct)
  • A morpheme that has a universal form.
  • A type of compound word.
  • A morpheme that can stand alone.
  • What is the primary purpose of grammatical signals in a sentence?

  • To provide synonyms for words.
  • To form compound words.
  • To relate words to one another within a structure. (correct)
  • To create idiomatic expressions.
  • What distinguishes bound morphemes from free morphemes?

  • Bound morphemes can stand alone as words.
  • Bound morphemes can only appear in conjunction with other morphemes. (correct)
  • Free morphemes are context-dependent.
  • Free morphemes are always complex.
  • Which of the following describes inflectional suffixes?

    <p>They mark distinctions such as tense or number.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes synthetic languages?

    <p>They incorporate a complex system of inflections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does onomatopoeia function in language?

    <p>It uses words that echo sounds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which language influenced English grammar by introducing auxiliary verbs and split infinitives?

    <p>Old Norse</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did Julius Caesar play in the development of Londinium?

    <p>Led troops to the Thames River and established a military encampment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which function of language is primarily used to express emotions?

    <p>Emotive</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a homophone?

    <p>Tear (to rip) and tear (a drop from the eye).</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are function words used for in language?

    <p>To serve a similar role as inflections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary linguistic impact of the Vikings on the English language?

    <p>It did not change the West Germanic core of the language</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which period did the Vikings invade Britain?

    <p>8th to 10th centuries</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theory suggests that language originated from gestures?

    <p>Oral-gesture theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of language variation is associated with a specific social level or ethnic group?

    <p>Dialect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What theory suggests that Middle English arose from contact between Old English and Old Norse?

    <p>Creole Theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant event occurred in AD 410 concerning the Roman soldiers in Britain?

    <p>They were ordered to abandon Britain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What describes the term 'concord' in linguistic terms?

    <p>An interconnection between words marked by inflections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about language is incorrect?

    <p>Language is instinctive and we are born knowing how to speak.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the language during the Primitive Old English period?

    <p>The emergence of English as a separate language</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group invaded Britain shortly after the Romans left, contributing to the development of English?

    <p>The Germanic tribes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of human language compared to animal communication?

    <p>Language is unique and structurally complex.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which subgroup of the Germanic language is the ancestor of modern English?

    <p>West Germanic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Bow-Wow theory propose about the origin of language?

    <p>Language originated from human imitation of sounds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the Substratum Effect?

    <p>Language influence between dominant and subjugated languages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Grimm's Law compare?

    <p>Germanic languages and Latin languages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary consequence of the Roman invasion in AD 43?

    <p>Celtic tribes were pushed to Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theory describes language originating from sounds made during labor?

    <p>Yo-He-Ho or Labor Theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is true about the Celts before the Roman invasion?

    <p>They had no ambitions and were pagan tribal people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which language is classified as North Germanic?

    <p>Swedish</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle?

    <p>It documents the history of England from Julius Caesar's invasion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What event marks the beginning of the Middle English period?

    <p>The Battle of Hastings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant change occurred in English vocabulary due to the Norman invasion?

    <p>Addition of 10,000 French words</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings?

    <p>King Harold</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During the Middle English period, which social structure emerged regarding language?

    <p>Norman French was spoken by aristocrats</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the I-Umlaut or front mutation in language?

    <p>It resulted in vowel changes due to preceding syllables</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What major outcome occurred for the Anglo-Normans by the end of the 14th century?

    <p>They had no lands left and adapted English</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterized the Paleolithic period in human history?

    <p>Nomadic lifestyles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant development during the Neolithic period?

    <p>Practice of agriculture and animal domestication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant change in the English language began around 1400?

    <p>The Great Vowel Shift</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which event marks the beginning of books becoming more accessible in England?

    <p>The invention of the Printing Press</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who played an important role in the development of Old English language and literature?

    <p>King Alfred the Great</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the significance of the first English dictionary published in 1604?

    <p>It established fixed spelling and grammar rules.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which notable literary figure was born during the Early Modern English period?

    <p>William Shakespeare</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the replacement of French with English represent in legal and parliamentary contexts?

    <p>The growing prominence of English in civic affairs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which organization was founded during the Late Modern English period?

    <p>The British Broadcasting Corporation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the purpose of the Table Alphabeticall published in the Early Modern English period?

    <p>To act as the first English dictionary.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Language

    • Is a system of conventional vocal signs used by humans for communication
    • Is a system of rules or patterns that relate words to one another
    • Is vocal; its signs are sounds produced by the mouth and interpreted by the ear

    Language Variations

    • Dialect: variety of language tied to a specific place, social level, ethnic group, sex, or age
    • Register: variety of language for a particular purpose

    Language Change

    • Is natural; language systems are culturally transmitted
    • Syntagmatic change: words and sounds affected by neighboring words or sounds
    • Paradigmatic or Associative Change: words and sounds influenced by those not immediately presented, but associated with them
    • Social Change: language shifts due to world events

    Theories of Language Origin

    • Bow-Wow Theory: language originated from humans imitating animal and object sounds
    • Ding-Dong Theory: language developed from a natural association between objects and their sounds
    • Yo-He-Ho Theory: language emerged from sounds produced during group activities
    • Baby Talk Theory: language evolved from simplified communication used by infants
    • Oral-Gesture Theory: language resulted from gestures made with the mouth
    • Divine Creation Theory: God created language

    Functions of Language

    • Referential: used to refer to things or people
    • Poetic: used for its own sake, not necessarily referring to the real world
    • Emotive: used to express emotions
    • Conative: used to address another person and get their attention
    • Phatic: used to maintain social relationships
    • Metalinguistic: used to discuss language itself

    Morphemes

    • Smallest linguistic sign
    • Meaningful unit that cannot be divided into meaningless parts
    • Sequence of sounds with recognizable meaning
    • Free Morphemes: can be used alone as words
    • Bound Morphemes: combined with other morphemes
    • Allomorph: alternate pronunciation or spelling of a morpheme based on context
    • Idiom: combination of words whose meaning cannot be predicted from its parts

    Grammatical Signals

    • Techniques for relating words within a sentence
    • Parts of Speech: noun, verb, adjective, adverb
    • Affixes: sounds or letters added to change a word's meaning: Prefix (added to the front), Suffix(added to the end), Inflection (changes the form of a word to mark distinctions)
    • Concord: agreement/interconnection between words marked by inflections
    • Word Order: grammatical signal for all languages
    • Function Words: minor parts of speech used for word order, serving the same function as inflections
    • Prosodic Signals: pitch, stress, and tempo that can indicate grammatical meaning

    History of the English Language

    • Pre-History: Isle of Britain inhabited by Celtic tribes (pagan tribal people with their own language)
    • Indo-European Language: English belongs to this family
    • Proto-Indo-European: ancestral tribes that migrated eastward, westward, and northward
    • East Germanic: spoken by tribes who migrated back to Southeastern Europe
    • West Germanic: ancestor of modern German, Dutch, Flemish, Frisian, and English
    • North Germanic: evolved into modern Scandinavian languages (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic)
    • Cognates: words of common origin in different languages
    • Substratum effect: language influenced by a subjugated language
    • Grimm's Law: comparing Germanic languages with Latin languages

    Old English Period

    • Also known as the Anglo-Saxon period
    • 450-700 AD
    • Influenced by Celtic and Latin
    • Paleolithic Period: humans nomadic, traveling from place to place
    • Neolithic Period: humans engaged in agriculture, domestication of animals, sedentary lives
    • Age of Metals: humans started using metal tools, population growth, advancement in craftsmanship and transportation

    Important figures in history

    • Julius Caesar: led Roman troops, reached Thames River and established a military encampment
    • King Alfred the Great: important role in development of Old English, encouraged translation of Latin into Old English
    • William Caxton: brought the printing press to England, making books cheaper, increasing literacy, and solidifying spelling and grammar

    Influence of the Vikings

    • Old Norse language
    • Viking invasions of Britain from 8th to 10th centuries
    • Old Norse influence on English grammar evident in auxiliary verbs, word order, and split infinitives

    Middle English Period

    • 1066: Battle of Hastings, beginning of Middle English
    • Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror defeats King Harold, becomes King of England
    • Norman Invasion: French brought to England, Normans spoke French with Germanic influences
    • Norman French: 10,000 French words entered English by the 13th century
    • King John: William the Conqueror’s ancestor lost Normandy to King of France
    • Normans adopted English as their language by the end of the 14th century

    Modern English Period

    • The Great Vowel Shift: around 1400, long vowel sounds raised and diphthongised
    • Printing Press: established by William Caxton in 1476, facilitated spread of literacy
    • Early Modern English:
      • The Daily Courant was published, the first daily English-language newspaper
      • English replaced French as the language of law
      • English used for Parliament
      • First English dictionary published
      • Shakespeare born and died
      • English replaces Latin as medium of instruction
      • Thomas Jefferson wrote the American Declaration of Independence
      • Shakespeare’s First Folio published
    • Late Modern English:
      • The British Broadcasting Corporation established
      • The Oxford English Dictionary established
      • Webster published his American English dictionary

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