Intro to Linguistics

Question 1

linguistic competence

Answer 1

system of linguistic knowledge possessed by native speakers of language

Question 2

linguistic performance

Answer 2

the way a language system is used in communication

Question 3

performance errors

Answer 3

results from learner’s lack of knowledge of the correct rules

Question 4

speech communication chain

Answer 4

a message moves between the mind of the speaker and the mind of the listener

Question 5

speech communication chain steps

Answer 5

information that’s communicated is encoded by speaker into sequence of gestures which generate sound, which is communicated to listener, and is processed by the hearing mechanism into a neural signal that’s interpreted to the meaning/intention

Question 6

noise

Answer 6

a sound

Question 7

lexicon

Answer 7

word choice, vocab of a person/language/branch of knowledge

Question 8

mental grammar

Answer 8

generative grammar stored in the brain that allows a speaker to produce language that other speakers can understand

Question 9

language variation

Answer 9

regional, social, or contextual differences in the ways that a particular language is used

Question 10

descriptive grammar

Answer 10

set of rules about language based on how it is actually used; no right or wrong language

Question 11

evidence that writing and language are not the same (list 4 reasons)

Answer 11

1. writing is permanent and usually cannot be changed when printed, whereas language can change
2. written text can communicate across time and space, but language is used for immediate interactions
3. writing makes use of punctuation, headings, and layouts, but language uses timing, tone, and volume to add emotion
4. writing doesn’t receive immediate feedback from readers, while language is a dynamic interaction between two or more people

Question 12

reasons some people believe writing to be superior to speech (list 3 reasons)

Answer 12

1. you do not have to complete writing in a live setting
2. writing is an easier way to express ideas and thoughts
3. you don’t have to think about your body language while conveying a written message

Question 13

prescriptive grammar

Answer 13

set of rules about language based on how people think language should be used

Question 14

prescribe

Answer 14

recommend something as beneficial

Question 15

Charles Hockett’s nine design features

Answer 15

broadcast transmission and directional reception, transitoriness, interchangeability total feedback, specialization, semanticity, arbitrariness, discreteness, and displacement

Question 16

mode of communication

Answer 16

the way communication is expressed: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational

Question 17

semanticity

Answer 17

quality of linguistic system to convey meanings

Question 18

pragmatic function

Answer 18

the meaning a speaker wishes to convey to the listener

Question 19

interchangeability

Answer 19

humans can give and receive identical linguistic signals

Question 20

cultural transmission

Answer 20

attitudes, values, and beliefs, and behavioral scripts are passed onto and taught to individuals

Question 21

arbitrariness

Answer 21

quality of being based on random choice, rather than any reason

Question 22

linguistic sign

Answer 22

any unit of language (morpheme, word, phrase) used to designate objects of reality

Question 23

convention

Answer 23

principle or norm that has been adopted by a person or community about how to use a specific term

Question 24

nonarbitrariness

Answer 24

not random, done so with reasoning

Question 25

iconic

Answer 25

relationship of resemblance between two aspects of a sign (ex: an image is directly related to its meaning)

Question 26

onomatopoeia

Answer 26

formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named

Question 27

conventionalized

Answer 27

something made based on what is generally done or believed

Question 28

sound symbolism

Answer 28

the partial representation of the sense of a word by its sound

Question 29

discreteness

Answer 29

concept that representation can be broken down into small, discrete units that can recombine with other small units to create new representations

Question 30

displacement

Answer 30

capability of language to communicate about things that are not immediately present

Question 31

productivity

Answer 31

degree to which native speakers use a particular grammatical process, esp. in word formation

Question 32

modality

Answer 32

options that allow for expressing a speaker's general intentions as well as their beliefs

Question 33

myths about signed languages

Answer 33

1. it's universal 2. only uses your hands 3. invented by hearing people 4. it's based on english

Question 34

differences between codes and languages

Answer 34

1. code is simply text, no speech 2. code gets converted before it can run, and language is immediately converted 3. code has a finite set of rules, and language is not strictly defined by its rules 4. language is a social activity and code is created through a computer