Language Change and Language Acquisition
80 Questions
2 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What aspect of language is concerned with the rules for organising meaning?

  • Grammar (correct)
  • Morphology
  • Phonology
  • Pragmatics

    • Which of the following refers to the study of the writing system of a language?

  • Orthography
  • Graphology (correct)
  • Semantics
  • Syntax

    • What is the term for the process of creating new words by changing existing words?

  • Neologism
  • Eponym
  • Coinage
  • Derivation (correct)

    • What is the term for the study of the sound patterns of a language?

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

    What is the term for words derived from other languages?

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

    What is the term for the study of the meaning of words?

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

    What is the term for the part of language concerned with the structure of words?

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

    What is the term for the addition to the root of a word?

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

    What type of linguistic process involves shortening a word while maintaining its original function and meaning?

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

    What is the term for the study of how words change their meaning over time?

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

    What is the process of creating new words by combining segments of two words?

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

    What is the term for the process of changing the function of a word without changing its form?

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

    What is the term for the creation of new words by combining two complete words?

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

    What is the term for the process in which the meaning of a word becomes more positive?

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

    What is the term for the process of replicating sounds through words?

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

    What is the term for the view that language change involves a decline in the standards of English?

    <p>Prescriptivist View</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the core idea behind the approach that considers language standards?

    <p>Communication and understanding are clear regardless of language standards</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the base or root of a word?

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

    What is the process of allowing each member of the conversation an opportunity to speak without overlap?

    <p>Turn-taking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the unspoken elements of communication, such as body language and facial expressions?

    <p>Paralinguistic features</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of using a participant's name in discourse, such as 'Jon saw it live, he knows all about it'?

    <p>To pass ownership of the conversational floor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the manner of speaking, including intonation, stress, tone, and speed?

    <p>Prosodic features</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the signals that the listener gives to show that they are following the conversation?

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

    What is the term for the ways in which conversations are closed, typically done with phrases such as 'nice to see you'?

    <p>Conversation endings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of sounds are characterized by a small puff of air when pronounced?

    <p>Plosive sounds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for words that serve as a super generalized form of several other words?

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

    What stage of language development focuses on brief utterances which contain only essential information?

    <p>Telegraphic Stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the process of broadening a word's meaning by children?

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

    What is the term for language used to express personal opinions, feelings, and identity?

    <p>Personal Function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the gap between present skills and knowledge and future achievements?

    <p>Zone of Proximal Development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for language used to explore the imagination?

    <p>Imaginative Function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the stage of language development where a child is able to think in more definite terms?

    <p>Preoperational Stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does deixis refer to in unscripted language?

    <p>Words that are used to refer to things in a specific context</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of metalanguage in conversation?

    <p>To correct mistakes made by the speaker</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the language used by family and friends when speaking to a baby?

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

    What is the purpose of tag questions in conversation?

    <p>To prompt a response from the listener</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the omission of a word or words in a sentence, where the sense is still evident through context?

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

    What is the term for expressions used to soften authoritative requests and maintain speaker engagement?

    <p>Vague expressions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the study of speech sounds?

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

    What is the term for the repetition of words in conversation?

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

    How does the social context of a language affect the meaning of words and phrases, and what branch of linguistics studies this phenomenon?

    <p>Pragmatics studies how the social context of a language affects the meaning of words and phrases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process by which new words are created by changing existing words, and what are some examples of this process?

    <p>Derivation is the process of creating new words by changing existing words. Examples include adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do loanwords differ from neologisms, and what are some examples of each?

    <p>Loanwords are words borrowed from other languages, whereas neologisms are newly created words. Examples of loanwords include 'sushi' and 'chocolate', while examples of neologisms include 'google' and 'selfie'.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the distinction between morphology and syntax, and how do they relate to the study of language?

    <p>Morphology is the study of the structure of words, while syntax is the study of the arrangement of words in a sentence. Both are crucial in understanding the organization of language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do eponyms differ from other types of words, and what are some examples of eponyms?

    <p>Eponyms are words named after their creators or inventors. Examples include 'Alzheimer's' and 'Ford'.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between graphology and orthography, and how do they relate to the study of language?

    <p>Graphology is the study of the writing system of a language, while orthography is the study of letters and spelling. Both are crucial in understanding the visual representation of language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does phonology relate to the study of language, and what are some key aspects of phonology?

    <p>Phonology is the study of the sound patterns of a language. Key aspects of phonology include the study of pronunciation and the organization of sounds in a language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the distinction between lexis and semantics, and how do they relate to the study of language?

    <p>Lexis is the study of the vocabulary of a language, while semantics is the study of the meaning of words. Both are crucial in understanding the meaning of language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the linguistic process by which a word's meaning becomes more positive over time, such as the word 'nice' originally meaning 'clumsy' and now meaning 'kind'?

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

    What is the term for the creation of new words by combining segments of two words, such as 'motel' coming from 'motor' and 'hotel'?

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

    What is the linguistic process by which sounds are clipped from the endings of words or between two words, often due to informal speech?

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

    What is the term for the study of how words change their meaning over time, such as the word 'silly' originally meaning 'blessed' and now meaning 'foolish'?

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

    What is the term for the creation of new words by combining two complete words, such as 'flowerpot' coming from 'flower' and 'pot'?

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

    What is the term for the process of shortening a word while maintaining its original function and meaning, such as 'mathematics' becoming 'maths'?

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

    What is the term for the linguistic approach that views language as constantly changing and that no one variety is superior?

    <p>Descriptivist Approach</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the process of replicating sounds through words, such as 'moo' or 'quack'?

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

    What is the purpose of using hedges and vague language in conversation?

    <p>To avoid coming to the point or being direct, and to soften the force of what is said.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of pauses in the listener's response in unscripted language?

    <p>They can indicate unease or tension, or that the listener is thinking about what to say.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of discourse markers in conversation?

    <p>They bind one bit of conversation to another.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of phatic communication in conversation?

    <p>To open conversations and act as polite 'ice-breakers'.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of false starts in unscripted language?

    <p>They reveal the incorrect utterance before it is corrected.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of modality in conversation?

    <p>To introduce option or compromise in negotiation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of repetition in conversation?

    <p>To apply emphasis, allow the speaker time to think, or for other reasons.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of ellipsis in unscripted language?

    <p>It is the omission of a word or words, where the sense is still evident through context.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of turn-taking in conversation, and how does it facilitate a cooperative exchange?

    <p>The purpose of turn-taking is to allow each member of the conversation an opportunity to speak without overlap, facilitating a cooperative exchange by ensuring that all participants have a chance to contribute and respond to each other.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are adjacency pairs, and how do they relate to the concept of turn-taking in conversation?

    <p>Adjacency pairs are statements, questions, or declarations, and their corresponding responses, which are typically performed by different participants in a conversation, and are closely related to turn-taking as they facilitate the exchange of ideas and responses between participants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do prosodic features, such as tone, pitch, and volume, contribute to the meaning of an utterance?

    <p>Prosodic features, such as tone, pitch, and volume, contribute to the meaning of an utterance by conveying emotions, attitudes, and emphasis, and can significantly alter the interpretation of the spoken words.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of feedback in conversation, and how is it achieved through verbal and non-verbal responses?

    <p>Feedback in conversation serves to signal that the listener is following the conversation, and is achieved through verbal responses, such as brief phrases or words, and non-verbal responses, such as facial expressions, body language, and back-channel noises.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do corpora, as collections of spoken and written texts, contribute to the study of language?

    <p>Corpora contribute to the study of language by providing a large dataset of language samples, which can be analyzed to identify patterns, trends, and insights into language use, structure, and meaning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of holding the conversational floor, and how is it relinquished or passed to another participant?

    <p>Holding the conversational floor refers to the participant who is currently speaking, and is relinquished or passed to another participant through various strategies, such as bringing up a participant's name, completing a turn, hesitating, or using body language and tone of voice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of clashing in conversation, and how is it resolved?

    <p>Clashing occurs when two individuals speak at the same time, and is resolved when one of the speakers lets go of the conversational floor, typically determined by the context of the conversation and the relative status between the two speakers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of repairing in conversation, and how is it achieved?

    <p>Repairing occurs when an individual notices an error in their own or another's statement or response, and is achieved through various strategies, such as correcting the error, clarifying the intended meaning, or revising the original statement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the linguistic term for the process of creating new words by changing existing words, such as the word 'nice' originally meaning 'clumsy' and now meaning 'kind'?

    <p>Semantic change</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the stage of language development where a child is able to think in more definite terms and language development accelerates?

    <p>Preoperational Stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the language used to express personal opinions, feelings, and identity, such as in personal narratives or autobiographies?

    <p>Personal Function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for words that serve as a super generalized form of several other words, such as 'food' being a hypernym for 'bread', 'meat', and 'vegetables'?

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

    What is the term for the gap between present skills and knowledge and future achievements, as described by Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development?

    <p>Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the process of broadening a word's meaning by children, such as using 'daddy' to refer to any man?

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

    What is the term for language used to develop social relationships and the process of interaction, such as in conversations or group discussions?

    <p>Interactional Function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the stage of language development that focuses on brief utterances which contain only essential information?

    <p>Telegraphic Stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Language Change and Acquisition

    • Graphology: the study of a language's writing system and visual elements
    • Grammar: the rules for organizing meaning in a language, including syntax
    • Orthography: the study of letters and spelling
    • Phonology: the study of pronunciation and sound patterns
    • Pragmatics: how social context affects language usage
    • Morphology: the study of word structure and meaning
    • Lexis: the vocabulary of a language
    • Semantics: the study of word meaning

    The Formation of New Words

    • Derivation: the process of creating new words from existing words
      • Borrowing: deriving words from other languages (e.g., loanwords)
      • Coinage: creating new words that are used, often nouns (e.g., Google)
      • Neologism: words that seem to come from nothing, often used in advertising
      • Eponym: words named after their creator or similar (e.g., Alzheimer's, Ford)
      • Prefix: addition to the root of a word (e.g., like -> dislike)
      • Suffix: addition to the stem of a word (e.g., slow -> slowly)
      • Conversion: changing a word's meaning or function without changing its form (e.g., clean -> to clean)
      • Telescoping: shortening a word or phrase to create a new word (e.g., acronyms)
      • Compounding: combining two complete words to create a new word (e.g., flowerpot, toothbrush)
      • Blending: combining parts of two words to create a new word (e.g., motel, Spanglish)
      • Clipping: shortening a longer word while maintaining its function and meaning (e.g., mathematics -> maths)
      • Coalescence: merging sounds in words, often in informal speech (e.g., wh -> w)

    Changes in Meaning

    • Etymology: the study of how words change in meaning
    • Amelioration: the process of a word's meaning becoming more positive (e.g., nice -> kind)
    • Pejoration: the process of a word's meaning becoming more negative (e.g., silly -> foolish)
    • Broadening: the process of a word's meaning becoming more general (e.g., bird -> any type of bird)
    • Narrowing: the process of a word's meaning becoming more specific (e.g., girl -> young female)
    • Inflection: changing the function of a word by adding suffixes or affixes (e.g., jump -> jumped)

    Views and Approaches

    • Prescriptivist View: language change involves a decline in standards
    • Descriptivist Approach: language is what people say and write, with no superior variety

    Research Topic and Data Sources

    • Corpus: a collection of spoken and written texts
    • Corpus Data: data stored within a corpus
    • Word Sketches: a detailed analysis of a word's meaning and usage
    • Discourse Features: a study of language in context

    Conversation and Language

    • Opening Greetings: phrases used to open conversations
    • Turn-taking: the process of allowing each person to speak without overlap
    • Adjacency Pairs: statements and responses in a conversation
    • Holding the Conversational Floor: the person currently speaking
    • Clashing: when two people speak at the same time
    • Repairing: correcting errors in a conversation
    • Topic Shift: changing the topic of a conversation
    • Conversation Endings: ways to close a conversation

    Prosodic and Paralinguistic Features

    • Paralinguistic Features: unspoken elements of communication (e.g., body language, facial expressions)
    • Prosodic Features: manner of speaking (e.g., intonation, stress, tone, speed)
    • Feedback: signals that the listener is following the conversation
    • Verbal Responses: brief phrases or words (e.g., "Absolutely")
    • Back-channel: noises or gestures used to show the listener is engaged

    Features of Unscripted Language

    • Back-channelling: noises or gestures used to show the listener is engaged
    • Contraction: shortening a word or phrase
    • Deixis: words used to refer to things in the context
    • Discourse Markers: words used to connect conversations
    • Elision: omitting sounds or words
    • Ellipsis: omitting words or phrases
    • False Starts: incorrect utterances
    • Fixed Expressions: expressions used to provide predictability
    • Hedges and Vague Language: strategies to avoid being direct
    • Metalanguage: language used to talk about language
    • Modality: items used to introduce option or compromise
    • Non-fluency features: fillers used to give speakers time to think
    • Non-standard Features and Forms: errors made by speakers
    • Phatic Communication: polite "ice-breakers" used to open conversations
    • Repetition: repeating words or phrases
    • Tag Questions: questions used to prompt a response
    • Vague Expressions: expressions used to soften requests

    Features of Transcribed Speech

    • Transcripts: written records of speech
    • Phonetics: the study of speech sounds
    • Phonemes: sounds used in spoken language
    • Diacritics: marks used to indicate specific pronunciations
    • Micropause: naturally taken pauses in speech
    • Tone Units: groups of words separated by pauses
    • Pitch Movement: the rise or fall in tone
    • Tonic Syllable: the most important word in a tone unit

    Stage of Language Acquisition

    • Caretaker Language: language used by family and friends when speaking to a baby
    • Holophrastic: words used by children to refer to multiple things
    • Plosive: sounds used by babbling children
    • Nasal: sounds used by babbling children
    • Telegraphic Stage: stage of language development focused on brief utterances
    • Overextension: broadening a word's meaning by children
    • Underextension: narrowing a word's meaning by children
    • Hypernyms: words that serve as a super generalised form
    • Hyponym: words that are categorised under a more generalised form
    • Virtuous Error: errors made by young children as they apply language rules
    • Idioms: expressions with non-literal meanings

    Cognitive Theory

    • Object Permanence: the realisation that things have an independent existence
    • Sensorimotor Stage: stage of language development focused on physical activities and sensations
    • Preoperational Stage: stage of language development focused on thinking in definite terms
    • Concrete Operational Stage: stage of language development focused on using language for outside experiences
    • Formal Operational Stage: stage of language development focused on abstract ideas
    • Vygotsky's Take on Cognitive Theory: the zone of proximal development and the use of language in social interaction
    • Initiation-Response-Feedback: the process of teaching and learning language

    Language Change and Acquisition

    • Graphology: the study of a language's writing system and visual elements
    • Grammar: the rules for organizing meaning in a language, including syntax
    • Orthography: the study of letters and spelling
    • Phonology: the study of pronunciation and sound patterns
    • Pragmatics: how social context affects language usage
    • Morphology: the study of word structure and meaning
    • Lexis: the vocabulary of a language
    • Semantics: the study of word meaning

    The Formation of New Words

    • Derivation: the process of creating new words from existing words
      • Borrowing: deriving words from other languages (e.g., loanwords)
      • Coinage: creating new words that are used, often nouns (e.g., Google)
      • Neologism: words that seem to come from nothing, often used in advertising
      • Eponym: words named after their creator or similar (e.g., Alzheimer's, Ford)
      • Prefix: addition to the root of a word (e.g., like -> dislike)
      • Suffix: addition to the stem of a word (e.g., slow -> slowly)
      • Conversion: changing a word's meaning or function without changing its form (e.g., clean -> to clean)
      • Telescoping: shortening a word or phrase to create a new word (e.g., acronyms)
      • Compounding: combining two complete words to create a new word (e.g., flowerpot, toothbrush)
      • Blending: combining parts of two words to create a new word (e.g., motel, Spanglish)
      • Clipping: shortening a longer word while maintaining its function and meaning (e.g., mathematics -> maths)
      • Coalescence: merging sounds in words, often in informal speech (e.g., wh -> w)

    Changes in Meaning

    • Etymology: the study of how words change in meaning
    • Amelioration: the process of a word's meaning becoming more positive (e.g., nice -> kind)
    • Pejoration: the process of a word's meaning becoming more negative (e.g., silly -> foolish)
    • Broadening: the process of a word's meaning becoming more general (e.g., bird -> any type of bird)
    • Narrowing: the process of a word's meaning becoming more specific (e.g., girl -> young female)
    • Inflection: changing the function of a word by adding suffixes or affixes (e.g., jump -> jumped)

    Views and Approaches

    • Prescriptivist View: language change involves a decline in standards
    • Descriptivist Approach: language is what people say and write, with no superior variety

    Research Topic and Data Sources

    • Corpus: a collection of spoken and written texts
    • Corpus Data: data stored within a corpus
    • Word Sketches: a detailed analysis of a word's meaning and usage
    • Discourse Features: a study of language in context

    Conversation and Language

    • Opening Greetings: phrases used to open conversations
    • Turn-taking: the process of allowing each person to speak without overlap
    • Adjacency Pairs: statements and responses in a conversation
    • Holding the Conversational Floor: the person currently speaking
    • Clashing: when two people speak at the same time
    • Repairing: correcting errors in a conversation
    • Topic Shift: changing the topic of a conversation
    • Conversation Endings: ways to close a conversation

    Prosodic and Paralinguistic Features

    • Paralinguistic Features: unspoken elements of communication (e.g., body language, facial expressions)
    • Prosodic Features: manner of speaking (e.g., intonation, stress, tone, speed)
    • Feedback: signals that the listener is following the conversation
    • Verbal Responses: brief phrases or words (e.g., "Absolutely")
    • Back-channel: noises or gestures used to show the listener is engaged

    Features of Unscripted Language

    • Back-channelling: noises or gestures used to show the listener is engaged
    • Contraction: shortening a word or phrase
    • Deixis: words used to refer to things in the context
    • Discourse Markers: words used to connect conversations
    • Elision: omitting sounds or words
    • Ellipsis: omitting words or phrases
    • False Starts: incorrect utterances
    • Fixed Expressions: expressions used to provide predictability
    • Hedges and Vague Language: strategies to avoid being direct
    • Metalanguage: language used to talk about language
    • Modality: items used to introduce option or compromise
    • Non-fluency features: fillers used to give speakers time to think
    • Non-standard Features and Forms: errors made by speakers
    • Phatic Communication: polite "ice-breakers" used to open conversations
    • Repetition: repeating words or phrases
    • Tag Questions: questions used to prompt a response
    • Vague Expressions: expressions used to soften requests

    Features of Transcribed Speech

    • Transcripts: written records of speech
    • Phonetics: the study of speech sounds
    • Phonemes: sounds used in spoken language
    • Diacritics: marks used to indicate specific pronunciations
    • Micropause: naturally taken pauses in speech
    • Tone Units: groups of words separated by pauses
    • Pitch Movement: the rise or fall in tone
    • Tonic Syllable: the most important word in a tone unit

    Stage of Language Acquisition

    • Caretaker Language: language used by family and friends when speaking to a baby
    • Holophrastic: words used by children to refer to multiple things
    • Plosive: sounds used by babbling children
    • Nasal: sounds used by babbling children
    • Telegraphic Stage: stage of language development focused on brief utterances
    • Overextension: broadening a word's meaning by children
    • Underextension: narrowing a word's meaning by children
    • Hypernyms: words that serve as a super generalised form
    • Hyponym: words that are categorised under a more generalised form
    • Virtuous Error: errors made by young children as they apply language rules
    • Idioms: expressions with non-literal meanings

    Cognitive Theory

    • Object Permanence: the realisation that things have an independent existence
    • Sensorimotor Stage: stage of language development focused on physical activities and sensations
    • Preoperational Stage: stage of language development focused on thinking in definite terms
    • Concrete Operational Stage: stage of language development focused on using language for outside experiences
    • Formal Operational Stage: stage of language development focused on abstract ideas
    • Vygotsky's Take on Cognitive Theory: the zone of proximal development and the use of language in social interaction
    • Initiation-Response-Feedback: the process of teaching and learning language

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Description

    Explore the concepts of language change and acquisition, including graphology, grammar, orthography, phonology, and pragmatics.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser