Linguistics: System of Language vs. Speech

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What sets man apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, according to the text?

Physical agility and strength

Superior cognitive abilities

Ability to communicate through speech (correct)

Ability to build complex tools

Why is the term 'Homo sapiens' considered confusing?

It suggests that humans have evolved from apes

It has not been proved that animals do not possess wisdom (correct)

It implies that humans are the only species capable of using tools

It implies that humans are the most intelligent species on earth

What recent definition of human beings is mentioned in the text?

Man the toolmaker (correct)

Homo sapiens - man with wisdom

Man the physically evolved being

Homo loquens - man the speaking animal

What can be inferred about animals' ability to communicate, based on the text?

Animals' communication abilities are similar to human speech Signup and view all the answers

Why does the text mention that apes can make primitive tools?

To highlight their similarities to humans Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized as confusing about the term 'Homo sapiens' in the text?

The lack of evidence about animals' wisdom Signup and view all the answers

What makes human language unique?

The complex set of relations within the language Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic of language explains why it has not proved possible to translate mechanically from one language to another?

Complexity Signup and view all the answers

According to the text, what is grammar in the wider sense?

A device specifying the infinite set of well-formed sentences Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between animal communication systems and human language?

The complexity of language Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic of language allows us to produce myriads of sentences that we have never heard or uttered before?

Productivity Signup and view all the answers

Why does the text mention the failure of computer translation 'masterpieces'?

To emphasize the complexity of language Signup and view all the answers

According to the given passage, what is the referential meaning of a linguistic unit?

The relation between a unit and an object in the world around us Signup and view all the answers

In the context of language study, what does the term 'structuralism' primarily focus on?

Inner (syntactic) relations between linguistic units Signup and view all the answers

What does the pragmatic side of language primarily emphasize?

The needs of speakers in language analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of a functionalist approach in language analysis?

The needs of speakers in language analysis Signup and view all the answers

According to the passage, what did Ferdinand de Saussure's idea propose about language structure?

Language should be best regarded as a structured system of elements Signup and view all the answers

What does the system of language primarily consist of according to Ferdinand de Saussure?

Sounds, words, grammar rules, and rules of lexical series Signup and view all the answers

What is the system of language focused on?

The paradigmatic aspect of languages Signup and view all the answers

What did Ferdinand de Saussure illustrate with the example of 'educate'?

Verb formation and noun formation Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'linguistic sign' refer to in the context of language?

Both form and meaning Signup and view all the answers

According to the text, how is language to be studied?

As a system in the synchronic plane Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'structure' refer to in the context of language?

Hierarchical layering of parts in constituting the whole Signup and view all the answers

What is the structure of language characterized by?

Isomorphism and building material from lower to higher level units Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between language and speech?

Language is common for all individuals, while speech is individual and personal. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of relations are based on the principles of similarity and association?

Paradigmatic relations Signup and view all the answers

What type of relations are linear and are manifested in speech?

Syntagmatic relations Signup and view all the answers

How does a synchronic approach to the study of language differ from a diachronic approach?

Synchronic approach focuses on the structure of a language at a particular moment in time, while diachronic approach focuses on the development of a language over time. Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main functions of any human language?

The expressive function and the communicative function Signup and view all the answers

Which term best describes linguistic signs that are informative, meaningful, and constitute a structural system of signs?

Semiotic signs Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of language according to the passage?

Passing on factual information to other people Signup and view all the answers

How does language differ from other semiotic systems, according to the passage?

Language is universal and used by all members of society, while other sign systems depend on the sphere of usage Signup and view all the answers

What is the ludic function of language, as mentioned in the passage?

Manipulating language as a source of enjoyment Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of attention when looking at language from a social function perspective, according to the passage?

The way language is fashioned as systems of signs to meet the cultural and communal needs of human societies Signup and view all the answers

According to the passage, what is distinctive about language?

Its intricate association with human mind and society Signup and view all the answers

What does the passage suggest about non-linguistic semiotic systems?

They have evolved with the socio-cultural evolution of human communities Signup and view all the answers

What is the essential nature of language according to the passage?

Its cognitive construct Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the purposes to which language may be put, according to the passage?

Maintaining good (or bad) relations with other people Signup and view all the answers

What does language need to provide, according to the passage?

Means for people to act upon their environment Signup and view all the answers