24 Questions
What is the primary characteristic of a specialized text?
Prevalence of information-carrying nouns
What is the purpose of repeating technical terms in scientific language?
To avoid ambiguity and ensure clarity
What is the term for the phenomenon where a single concept or item is referred to using only one word?
Mono-referentiality
What is the effect of high term density on the readability of a text?
It makes the text more difficult to understand
What is the term for the use of technical language that is plausible but lacks meaning?
Technobabble
What is the characteristic of technical language that is being parodied in technobabble?
Use of rules to produce technical terms
What is the function of nouns in specialized texts?
To carry information and convey meaning
What is the term for the concept that describes the number of technical terms in a text?
Term density
What type of modification is used in the phrase 'panedermic semi-boloid slots'?
Noun phrase with pre- and post-modification
What is the term for the process of creating a new word by combining two existing words, as seen in 'joystick'?
Compounding
What is the term for the process of adding a prefix to a word, as seen in 'non-reversible'?
Affixation
What is the term for the process of creating a new word by adapting an existing word, as seen in 'hypothermia'?
Affixation
What is the term for the process of adopting a word from another language, as seen in 'travail'?
Borrowing
What is the term for the density of technical terms in a text, as seen in the passage about the retroprototurboentabulator?
Term density
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'?
Affixoid
What is the term for the type of language used in academic writing, as seen in the instructions on slides?
Formal language
What is the primary reason for using specialized terms in a particular domain?
To reduce ambiguity and enable precise communication
What is likely to be the ratio of terms to core vocabulary in specialized texts?
A higher ratio of terms to core vocabulary
What does the term 'trichotillomania' literally mean?
Hair pulling or plucking
What is a characteristic of lexical items representing terms in specialized language?
They are non-arbitrary and have a specific meaning
What is a possible interpretation of the same lexical item appearing in different fields?
It fulfills a different terminological job in each case
What is a key feature of ESP (English for Special Purposes) vocabulary?
Non-arbitrariness and contextual meaning
What is the primary advantage of using terms with a specific meaning in specialized language?
It reduces ambiguity and enables precise communication
What is a characteristic of terms in specialized language?
They represent one concept and are free of ambiguity
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
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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