Basics
Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Semantics
100
The definition of human language is: a conventional system of signs that allows for creative communication of meaning. In this definition, what does CONVENTIONAL mean?
A conventional system is one determined and shared by a community. There is no direct relationship between linguistic elements such as words and meaning.
100
What do we call the individual sound unit that we use in phonology?
Phoneme
100
What is a "morpheme"? Provide an example.
The smallest MEANINGFUL unit in language. -est, -ing, -s, in-, un-, etc.
100
What is the fancy linguistic term for "parts of speech"?
LEXICAL CATEGORIES
100
What the heck is semantics?
The study of meaning in language.
200
Signifier + ________ = Sign What word goes in the blank and what is its definition?
SIGNIFIED, which is the concept to which the signifier refers (the real world object or abstract idea)
200
What is the voiceless labiodental fricative?
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
200
"Google" changing from a noun (the company Google) to a verb (just google it) is an example of what morphological rule?
SHIFTING. **Other tech examples of this?
200
Verbs! What do we call it when we change the form of a verb?
CONJUGATE
200
What is a synonym? (Hint: what type of meaning do we relate to when making synonyms?)
Words that mean the same thing. This is usually in reference to their DENOTATIVE (or literal) meaning, not their CONNOTATIVE (determined by speaker experience) meaning. **Bonus: so are there even such things as synonyms?
300
Is language progressing or decaying?
TRICK QUESTION: neither! Linguists avoid making such "judgments" about language; instead, we are interested in observing the patterns and figuring out what they mean for the way human communicate.
300
When someone means to say "both" but they instead say something that sounds more like /bolth/, this is an example of what phonological rule?
INSERTION
300
"Blog" is an example of what morphological phenomenon?
Blending **What are other examples of a blend?
300
In the sentence, "The gosh-dang floobers are looking mighty fine today," what lexical category is "floobers"? How do you know?
NOUN. Nouns take determiners (the, a, an, etc.), are made plural by adding "s," are often followed by verbs, and are often preceded by adjectives.
300
Explain the sentence, "Lexical meaning is arguably at least as relational as it is referential" (pg. 211).
"Reference" in semantics means each word has its own meaning in a one-to-one correspondence; string words together and you have a sentence. "Relationship" in semantics means that we assign words meaning based on categories: what they're related to, what they're like, what we connect them to in our heads.
400
Which type of grammar rules establish and enforce what we should say or write according to establishing notions of "good" and "bad"?
Prescriptivist grammar
400
What is the Midwesterner's favorite vowel?
The wedge /^/ or the schwa /ə/
400
What is the difference between the morphological rules of ACRONYMY and ALPHABETISM?
Acronymy is a word formed from the initials of a phrase, pronounced as a series of those letters. Examples? Alphabetism is a word from the initials of a phrase, pronounced as if a word. Examples?
400
How does an adjective become the COMPARATIVE form of itself? How does an adjective become the SUPERLATIVE form of itself?
Adding -er or "more" Adding -est or "most" **What is an irregular comparative/superlative combination?
400
The fact that a computer mouse borrowed its name from a tiny rodent is an example of what?
METAPHORICAL EXTENSION (What do a computer mouse and a mouse have in common?) **BONUS: Name two other tech words that were created using metaphorical extension.
500
When someone asks you if a word is really a word (like "ain't"), how do you answer?
ACCORDING TO WHO **How will we as teachers respond to that question?
500
Should English spelling be reformed?
- Language is always changing, so any changes might soon be out of date - Whose pronunciation would we choose to standardized? ("According to who?") - What about double letters and silent e's? ***What are examples of words that HAVE undergone spelling changes?
500
What are some ways that phonetics can be applied in the real world? **Hint: Think about your future professions.
As teachers... As speech therapists... As communicators in the world at all...
500
When Hauteans say "I seen it," what are they confusing?
The past participle of "see" (I have seen) with the simple past (I saw). BONUS: Why is this mistake easy to make?
500
Provide at least 3 examples for the conceptual metaphor, GOOD IS UP
I'm on the up and up peak of health cheer up keep your chin up that boosted my spirits my spirits rose
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