Semantics
Which of the following is NOT a subfield of semantics?
(A) lexical semantics
(B) phrasal semantics
(C) sentential semantics
(D) none of the above
(D) none of the above
TRUE or FALSE? Pragmatics is concerned with our understanding of language in context.
TRUE
Phonetics is the study of:
(A) letter sounds
(B) language transcription
(C) speech sounds
(D) none of the above
(C) speech sounds
Phonology is the study of how speech sounds form ________.
(A) words
(B) syllables
(C) morphemes
(D) patterns
(D) patterns
Who came up with the Cooperative Principle?
(A) Austin
(B) Grice
(C) Chomsky
(D) None of the above
(B) Grice
Why is this sentence considered ambiguous?
"The professor said on Monday she would give an exam."
Because we can't determine what the PP "on Monday" modifies: when the professor made the announcement or when the exam will be.
Give an example of a speech act using a performative verb.
I promise to pay you tomorrow.
What is the table of symbols we use to transribe sounds called?
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
What is a minimal pair? Give an original example in English.
Two words that differ in just one sound segment that occurs in the same place. Ex: [lik] [pik]
Give an example of a metaphor.
The United States is a melting pot. My son is the light of my life.
Give an example of a tautology.
The sun is hot. People need oxygen to survive. ...
Give an example of time deixis and place deixis and explain how they can change.
TIME: yesterday, today, tomorrow, now
PLACE: here, there, this street
They change depending on the speaker, the time, and the place.
What are the three categories we use to classify consonants?
Place of articulation, Manner of articulation, and Voiced/Voiceless
What is an allomorph? Give an example.
The phonological variant(s) of a morpheme. Ex: plural -(e)s, past tense -ed
What's the difference between homonyms and homographs? Give examples to explain.
Homonyms: spelled differently but pronounced the same (pair vs. pear)
Homographs: words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings (live vs. live)
Give an example of a sentence that entails another.
John cooks such delicious food. (John cooks.)
Give an ORIGINAL example of a conversational implicature.
A: "You fell asleep during class today, didn't you?"
B: "You know me."
Give an example of a stop, a fricative, and a liquid.
•Stops: [p] [b] [m] [t] [d] [n] [k] [g] [÷] [Ɂ]
•Fricatives: [f] [v] [θ] [s] [z] [§] [x] [h]
•Liquids: [l] [r]
What does it mean for allophones to be in complementary distribution? Explain using oral and nasal vowels.
Where one variant occurs, the other doesn't. When a vowel is nasalized, it won't be oral, and vice versa.
What is the difference between a phoneme and an allophone? Give an example.
Phoneme: basic form of a sound (mental)
Allophone: actual sound(s) corresponding to the phoneme.
Ex.: /p/ in 'peach' vs. 'speech'
Give an original example of an anomalous sentence AND an example of an uninterpretable sentence.
Anomalous: Pink love studies deliciously.
Uninterpretable: He picked up his umpeldie.
Name and explain each of Grice's four maxims. What does it mean to flout a maxim? You must answer every part of the question correctly to be awarded the points.
QUALITY: tell the truth and only that which you have enough evidence for
QUANTITY: not too much, not too little
MANNER: be clear
RELATION: be relevant
To flout a maxim means to not obey it.
Tell me what this English word is and describe each of its consonant sounds. You must get it all correct to get the points!
[tSIn]
CHIN. [tS] voiceless palatal affricate; [n] (voiced) alveolar nasal
What is a distinctive feature? Explain it and apply it to the difference between /v/ and /z/.
A feature that distinguishes one phoneme from another. Here the distinctive feature is +/- labial or +/- alveolar.
Explain assimilation and the rule of nasalization in vowels.
When a sound adapts a feature of the sound it precedes to ease pronuncation. Vowels become nasalized before nasal segments.