LANGUAGE & THINKING
Can we think without language?
Most linguists say thinking is strongly connected to language.
Я не видел ничего подобного раньше.
I have never seen anything like this before
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What does “deadline” mean?
Final time to submit something.
What is the sentence?
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and usually contains at least a subject and a predicate (verb).
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What does morphology study?
The structure of words.
What is “small talk”?
Light casual conversation.
Why is English word order important?
Because meaning changes with position.
Why is language called a system?
Because its elements are organized and interconnected.
Он сделал вид, будто не слышал вопроса, хотя прекрасно его понял.
He pretended not to hear the question, although he understood it perfectly.
What is a derivational affix?
Affix that creates a new word (happy → happiness).
Why do English speakers use fillers like “well”, “you know”?
To gain thinking time and make speech natural.
What is the gradual opposition?
Gradual opposition is a type of opposition where forms show different degrees of the same quality, for example: big – bigger –the biggest.
What is ambiguity in language?
When a sentence has more than one meaning.
Если бы я был на твоём месте, я бы отказался.
If I were you, I would refuse.
Difference between inflection and derivation?
Inflection = grammar form, derivation = new word.
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What is the difference between transitive and intransitive verb?
A transitive verb needs a direct object, while an intransitive verb does not take an object.
Explain: “Time flies like an arrow” (why is it tricky?)
It can mean time passes quickly OR be grammatically interpreted in different ways.
Хотя она тщательно готовилась к экзамену, некоторые вопросы всё равно показались ей неожиданно сложными.
Although she had prepared carefully for the exam, some questions still seemed unexpectedly difficult to her.
What is suppletion? Give example.
Complete change of word form (go → went).
What does “It’s not my cup of tea” mean?
I don’t like it / it’s not my preference.
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