BIG PICTURE
Linguistic knowledge is often described as this kind of knowledge—something we have but can’t always explain.
What is tacit (or implicit) knowledge?
This subfield of linguistics studies the properties of speech sounds.
What is phonetics?
In the source-filter model of speech production, this thing acts as the filter, modifying the sound source.
What is the vocal tract/oral cavity/mouth?
These sounds are created with a complete block of airflow in the vocal tract, followed by a release burst.
What are stops/plosives?
This famous figure helped create the graduate linguistics program at MIT.
Who is Noam Chomsky?
This subfield of linguistics explores the internal organization of phrases and sentences.
What is syntax?
These paired tissues in the larynx vibrate to create the sound source for voiced speech.
What are the vocal folds/vocal cords?
These sounds are produced when articulators approach each other closely but without creating a complete closure or turbulent airflow.
What are approximants?
The following expresses this kind of rule: "In English, you can't say I didn't see nothing. You must say I didn't see anything."
What is a prescriptive rule?
What is morphology?
Most speech sounds are made using this airstream mechanism, pulling air out from the lungs.
What is pulmonic egression?
This movable structure at the back of the mouth can raise to block nasal airflow or lower to produce nasal sounds, controlling the oro-nasal process.
What is the velum/soft palate?
In a famous experiment exploring linguistic productivity, children correctly applied plural rules to this made-up creature, showing they internalize grammar rules, not just memorize words.
What is a wug?
This subfield of linguistics is concerned with meaning.
Acoustic features that are created by resonances of the vocal tract and are visible as dark bands on a spectrogram.
What are harmonics/formant frequencies?
This phone is produced by moving the lower lip towards the upper teeth, creating a narrow turbulence. The vocal folds are not vibrating.
What is a voiceless, labiodental fricative [f]?
Linguists use scientific methods to model the patterns found across languages; this term refers to the mental system of knowledge that lets speakers produce and understand those patterns.
What is grammar?
This subfield of linguistics explores meaning in context.
What is pragmatics?
This unit of measurement refers to the number of complete cycles or vibrations existing in one second.
What is Hertz (Hz)/cycles per second?
This articulatory description corresponds to this IPA symbol [w].
What is a labiovelar approximant.