Lexis and Semantics

Question 1

What is an Allusion?

Answer 1

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event.

Question 2

What is Amelioration?

Answer 2

Word’s meaning becomes more positive over time.

Question 3

What is an Analogy?

Answer 3

A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way.

Question 4

What is an Anaphoric reference?

Answer 4

Making reference back to something previous in a text.

Question 5

What is Antithesis?

Answer 5

Contrasting ideas that have been juxtaposed in a text.

Question 6

What are Antonyms?

Answer 6

Words that have opposite meanings.

Question 7

What is Archaism?

Answer 7

The use of deliberately old-fashioned language.

Question 8

What are Collocations?

Answer 8

Words within phrases closely associated with one another.

Question 9

What are Colloquialisms?

Answer 9

Words or phrases that are used in everyday conversation or informal writing.

Question 10

What are Comparatives?

Answer 10

Words that compare two things.

Question 11

What are Compound words?

Answer 11

Two or more words combined to create a new word.

Question 12

What is Connotive meaning?

Answer 12

Subjective meaning that an individual brings to a word.

Question 13

Denotive meaning

Answer 13

the literal meaning of a word

Question 14

Dialect

Answer 14

A regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Question 15

Dysphemism

Answer 15

An unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one.

Question 16

Elision

Answer 16

the omission of a sound or syllable when speaking.

Question 17

Epithets

Answer 17

descriptive phrases used to characterize people or things.

Question 18

Euphemism

Answer 18

A less offensive way of saying something that is unpleasant.

Question 19

What is exophoric reference?

Answer 19

Reference to something outside the text.

Question 20

What is field specific lexis?

Answer 20

Vocabulary associated with a certain topic.

Question 21

What is figurative language?

Answer 21

Writing that is not meant to be taken literally.

Question 22

What are hesitation indicators?

Answer 22

Stuttering and fillers such as um, err, and ahh.

Question 23

What are honorifics?

Answer 23

Terms of respect; used to honor people.

Question 24

What is hyperbole?

Answer 24

Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Question 25

What are hypernyms?

Answer 25

Words that label categories.

Question 26

What are hyponyms?

Answer 26

More specific words that constitute a subclass of a more general word.

Question 27

What are idioms?

Answer 27

An expression that means different to its individual words.

Question 28

What is jargon?

Answer 28

Specialized language of a certain topic.

Question 29

What are levels of formality?

Answer 29

Vocabulary styles including slang, colloquialisms, taboo, formal and fixed levels.

Question 30

What is litotes?

Answer 30

Understatement.

Question 31

What are metaphors?

Answer 31

Metaphors describe one thing as if it were something else.

Question 32

What is monosyllabic lexis?

Answer 32

Monosyllabic lexis refers to words of one syllable.

Question 33

What is a neologism?

Answer 33

A neologism is a new word.

Question 34

What are oxymorons?

Answer 34

Oxymorons are combinations of contradictory words. ## Footnote Example: chaotic organization.

Question 35

What is pejoration?

Answer 35

Pejoration is when a word's meaning becomes more negative over time.

Question 36

What is polysyllabic lexis?

Answer 36

Polysyllabic lexis refers to words of two or more syllables.

Question 37

What is a portmanteau?

Answer 37

A new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings.

Question 38

What are registers?

Answer 38

A way of speaking based on situation.

Question 39

What is semantic change?

Answer 39

The process of words changing meaning.

Question 40

What are semantic fields?

Answer 40

Groups of words connected by a shared field of reference.

Question 41

What is semantic reclamation?

Answer 41

A word which previously carried negative connotations which is then reclaimed by the group it was used against and turned positive.

Question 42

What is a simile?

Answer 42

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Question 43

What is slang?

Answer 43

Informal language.

Question 44

What is a sociolect?

Answer 44

A language style associated with a particular social group.

Question 45

What are superlatives?

Answer 45

Things of the highest excellence.

Question 46

What is synecdoche?

Answer 46

A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole. ## Footnote Example: a new set of wheels.

Question 47

What are synonyms?

Answer 47

Words that have similar meanings.