39 Questions
What sets man apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, according to the text?
Ability to communicate through speech
Why is the term 'Homo sapiens' considered confusing?
It has not been proved that animals do not possess wisdom
What recent definition of human beings is mentioned in the text?
Man the toolmaker
What can be inferred about animals' ability to communicate, based on the text?
Animals' communication abilities are similar to human speech
Why does the text mention that apes can make primitive tools?
To highlight their similarities to humans
What is emphasized as confusing about the term 'Homo sapiens' in the text?
The lack of evidence about animals' wisdom
What makes human language unique?
The complex set of relations within the language
Which characteristic of language explains why it has not proved possible to translate mechanically from one language to another?
Complexity
According to the text, what is grammar in the wider sense?
A device specifying the infinite set of well-formed sentences
What is the main difference between animal communication systems and human language?
The complexity of language
Which characteristic of language allows us to produce myriads of sentences that we have never heard or uttered before?
Productivity
Why does the text mention the failure of computer translation 'masterpieces'?
To emphasize the complexity of language
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
In the context of language study, what does the term 'structuralism' primarily focus on?
Inner (syntactic) relations between linguistic units
What does the pragmatic side of language primarily emphasize?
The needs of speakers in language analysis
What is the main focus of a functionalist approach in language analysis?
The needs of speakers in language analysis
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
What does the system of language primarily consist of according to Ferdinand de Saussure?
Sounds, words, grammar rules, and rules of lexical series
What is the system of language focused on?
The paradigmatic aspect of languages
What did Ferdinand de Saussure illustrate with the example of 'educate'?
Verb formation and noun formation
What does the term 'linguistic sign' refer to in the context of language?
Both form and meaning
According to the text, how is language to be studied?
As a system in the synchronic plane
What does the term 'structure' refer to in the context of language?
Hierarchical layering of parts in constituting the whole
What is the structure of language characterized by?
Isomorphism and building material from lower to higher level units
What is the main difference between language and speech?
Language is common for all individuals, while speech is individual and personal.
Which type of relations are based on the principles of similarity and association?
Paradigmatic relations
What type of relations are linear and are manifested in speech?
Syntagmatic relations
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.
What are the two main functions of any human language?
The expressive function and the communicative function
Which term best describes linguistic signs that are informative, meaningful, and constitute a structural system of signs?
Semiotic signs
What is the main function of language according to the passage?
Passing on factual information to other people
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
What is the ludic function of language, as mentioned in the passage?
Manipulating language as a source of enjoyment
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
According to the passage, what is distinctive about language?
Its intricate association with human mind and society
What does the passage suggest about non-linguistic semiotic systems?
They have evolved with the socio-cultural evolution of human communities
What is the essential nature of language according to the passage?
Its cognitive construct
What is one of the purposes to which language may be put, according to the passage?
Maintaining good (or bad) relations with other people
What does language need to provide, according to the passage?
Means for people to act upon their environment
Explore the difference between the system of language and speech in linguistics. Understand how speech represents the total of utterances and texts, while the system of language allows for the study of linguistic systems. Delve into F.de Saussure's theory of the associative (paradigmatic) series of language.
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