Language and Deviation

Questions and Answers

To obey grammatical constraints

To use uncountable nouns in sentences

To establish semantic consistency

To attract attention and aid memorability (correct)

Countable nouns

Semantic nouns

Uncountable nouns (correct)

Time words

Semantic and phonological

Grammatical and semantic (correct)

Phonological and pragmatic

Grammatical and pragmatic

Because of the need for semantic consistency with the postmodifier 'ago' Signup and view all the answers

Changing the font style in a text Signup and view all the answers

To modify countable nouns Signup and view all the answers

Foregrounding Signup and view all the answers

Foregrounding and increased memorability Signup and view all the answers

Because 'furniture' is an uncountable noun Signup and view all the answers

Grammatical constraint Signup and view all the answers

They are all time words Signup and view all the answers

Breaking a social norm Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Deviation occurs when rules or expectations are broken, attracting attention and aiding memorability.
Deviation is not limited to language, e.g., breaking a dress code.

In the phrase "a -------------- ago", the missing word must be a countable noun referring to a period of time (e.g., day, week, month, year).
The noun must be countable because of the indefinite article "a" modifying it.
Uncountable nouns cannot be modified by the indefinite article (e.g., *"a furniture" or *"three furnitures").

The choices for the missing word obey constraints at two linguistic levels:
- Grammatical: the noun must be countable due to the indefinite article "a".
- Semantic: the noun must refer to a period of time for semantic consistency with the postmodifier "ago".

Deviation occurs when rules or expectations are broken, attracting attention and aiding memorability.
Deviation is not limited to language, e.g., breaking a dress code.

In the phrase "a -------------- ago", the missing word must be a countable noun referring to a period of time (e.g., day, week, month, year).
The noun must be countable because of the indefinite article "a" modifying it.
Uncountable nouns cannot be modified by the indefinite article (e.g., *"a furniture" or *"three furnitures").

The choices for the missing word obey constraints at two linguistic levels:
- Grammatical: the noun must be countable due to the indefinite article "a".
- Semantic: the noun must refer to a period of time for semantic consistency with the postmodifier "ago".