Language and Understanding
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary characteristic of a specialized text?

  • Use of poetic language
  • Prevalence of information-carrying nouns (correct)
  • Emphasis on expressive function
  • High frequency of adverbs
  • What is the purpose of repeating technical terms in scientific language?

  • To impress the reader with technical jargon
  • To create a poetic tone
  • To avoid ambiguity and ensure clarity (correct)
  • To add variety to the text
  • What is the term for the phenomenon where a single concept or item is referred to using only one word?

  • Technical vocabulary
  • Term density
  • Linguistic jargon
  • Mono-referentiality (correct)
  • What is the effect of high term density on the readability of a text?

    <p>It makes the text more difficult to understand</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the use of technical language that is plausible but lacks meaning?

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

    What is the characteristic of technical language that is being parodied in technobabble?

    <p>Use of rules to produce technical terms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of nouns in specialized texts?

    <p>To carry information and convey meaning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the concept that describes the number of technical terms in a text?

    <p>Term density</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of modification is used in the phrase 'panedermic semi-boloid slots'?

    <p>Noun phrase with pre- and post-modification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the process of creating a new word by combining two existing words, as seen in 'joystick'?

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

    What is the term for the process of adding a prefix to a word, as seen in 'non-reversible'?

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

    What is the term for the process of creating a new word by adapting an existing word, as seen in 'hypothermia'?

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

    What is the term for the process of adopting a word from another language, as seen in 'travail'?

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

    What is the term for the density of technical terms in a text, as seen in the passage about the retroprototurboentabulator?

    <p>Term density</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the linguistic term for the process of creating a new word by combining an existing word with a prefix or suffix, as seen in 'xenotransplantation'?

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

    What is the term for the type of language used in academic writing, as seen in the instructions on slides?

    <p>Formal language</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason for using specialized terms in a particular domain?

    <p>To reduce ambiguity and enable precise communication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is likely to be the ratio of terms to core vocabulary in specialized texts?

    <p>A higher ratio of terms to core vocabulary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'trichotillomania' literally mean?

    <p>Hair pulling or plucking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of lexical items representing terms in specialized language?

    <p>They are non-arbitrary and have a specific meaning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible interpretation of the same lexical item appearing in different fields?

    <p>It fulfills a different terminological job in each case</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key feature of ESP (English for Special Purposes) vocabulary?

    <p>Non-arbitrariness and contextual meaning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary advantage of using terms with a specific meaning in specialized language?

    <p>It reduces ambiguity and enables precise communication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of terms in specialized language?

    <p>They represent one concept and are free of ambiguity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Term Density and Specialized Language

    • The higher the density of terms in a text, the more specialized and difficult to understand it will be for the lay reader.
    • The more terms used, the less likely the reader is to understand the text.
    • Technical language uses plausible and rule-based techniques to create new terms, making it difficult to distinguish between real and fake technical language.

    Characteristics of Specialized Texts

    • High number of terms and noun density (more information-carrying nouns than other parts of speech)
    • Repetition of terms is common to ensure clarity and avoid ambiguity
    • Mono-referentiality: using a single word to refer to a concept or item, without synonyms

    Terminology Centrality

    • Terminology is central to specialized discourse, and its importance should be appreciated
    • In scientific language, terms are used to convey specific meanings and concepts

    Word Formation Mechanisms

    • Examples of word formation mechanisms:
      • Trichotillomania: derivation from Greek roots and suffix
      • Hypothermia: affixation
      • Ozone layer: compounding
      • Travail: borrowing
      • Xenotransplantation: affixation
      • Joystick, gamepad, joypad: borrowing

    Lexical Features of ESP

    • Non-arbitrariness: terms are chosen based on reasons and enable understanding of components
    • Terms can have different meanings across different fields
    • Lexical items can represent different terminological concepts in different fields

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    Description

    This quiz explores the relationship between language, understanding, and specialized texts. It discusses the role of density of terms and the impact on reader comprehension.

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