Language Change Vocab

Question 1

graphology

Answer 1

the writing system of a language, as well as other visual elements on the page

Question 2

grammar

Answer 2

the rules for organizing meaning in a language

Question 3

orthography

Answer 3

the part of language concerned with letters and spelling

Question 4

phonology

Answer 4

the pronunciation and sound patterns which affect understanding of words

Question 5

pragmatics

Answer 5

how the context in which words and phrases are used affects their meaning

Question 6

morphology

Answer 6

the structure of words with their meaning

Question 7

lexis

Answer 7

the words of a language

Question 8

semantics

Answer 8

the meaning of words

Question 9

syntax

Answer 9

the order of words in a sentence

Question 10

coinage

Answer 10

the process by which a new word is created from nothing

Question 11

neologism

Answer 11

a newly invented word

Question 12

affixation

Answer 12

making a new word by adding prefixes or suffixes to an already existing word

Question 13

conversion

Answer 13

creating a new word by changing its function/word class

Question 14

telescoping

Answer 14

shortening or contracting words

Question 15

acronym

Answer 15

words formed by pronouncing initialism as a word

Question 16

abbreviation

Answer 16

a word formed by the initial letters of a word/phrase

Question 17

compounding

Answer 17

making a new word by joining two words

Question 18

blending

Answer 18

joining the beginning of one word to the end of another word

Question 19

clipping

Answer 19

reducing the word but not changing the original meaning

Question 20

coalescence

Answer 20

when two sounds merge into one sound

Question 21

backformation

Answer 21

making a new word by removing part of the word

Question 22

reduplication

Answer 22

sounds are repeated with identical or very slight changes

Question 23

borrowing

Answer 23

words that are directly borrowed from another language

Question 24

amelioration

Answer 24

the upgrading or elevation of a word’s meaning, becoming more positive

Question 25

pejoration

Answer 25

the process by which a word’s meaning worsens

Question 26

narrowing

Answer 26

a word’s meaning becomes more specific and less general

Question 27

broadening

Answer 27

a word’s meaning becomes more broad/inclusive over time

Question 28

standardisation

Answer 28

‘fixing’ and conforming the english language to a ‘normal’ or to a set of rules

Question 29

archaic lexis

Answer 29

words that have fallen out of common use

Question 30

obsolete lexis

Answer 30

words that are no longer used/useful