Free Master of Humanities Language and Linguistics Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Are referred to as secondary phonemes.
- Morphemes
- Allophones
- Suprasegmentals (Correct answer)
- Allomorphs
Correct answer: Suprasegmentals
Suprasegmentals are referred to as secondary phonemes because they are phonetic features that extend over more than a single sound segment, such as a vowel or consonant. These include elements like stress, intonation, tone, and rhythm, which modify the meaning or emphasis of words and sentences rather than being individual sounds themselves.
Question 2: Is a word-formation process in which two or more existing words are just put together.
- backformation
- Derivation
- Compounding (Correct answer)
- Portmanteau
Correct answer: Compounding
Compounding is a word-formation process where two or more independent words are joined together to create a new word. The individual words retain their forms, but their combination creates a new meaning, such as in 'blackboard' (black + board) or 'sunflower' (sun + flower).
Question 3: refers to the linguistic standard unique to a region, social class, or status that affects mutual understanding
- Slang
- Dialect (Correct answer)
- Idiolect
- Register
Correct answer: Dialect
A dialect refers to a linguistic standard unique to a particular region, social class, or status, characterized by distinct features in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. These variations can sometimes affect mutual understanding between speakers of different dialects, though they are often mutually intelligible.
Question 4: Which of these is a good example of a portmanteau?
- Buzz
- Smog (Correct answer)
- Edit
- Unesco
Correct answer: Smog
A portmanteau is a word formed by blending parts of two or more existing words, typically combining their meanings. 'Smog' is an excellent example, as it is created from 'smoke' and 'fog,' referring to a type of air pollution that combines characteristics of both.
Question 5: Semiotics is a term that was first used by
- Edward sapir
- Ferdinand de sauddure
- Charles sanders pierce (Correct answer)
- Noam chomsky
Correct answer: Charles sanders pierce
The term 'semiotics,' the study of signs and symbols and their interpretation, was first systematically developed and used by the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce. He established a comprehensive theory of signs, distinguishing between icons, indices, and symbols, laying foundational groundwork for the field.
Question 6: Examples of first sounds are "chair" and "jam."
- Fricatives
- Trill
- Affricates (Correct answer)
- Plosives
Correct answer: Affricates
The first sounds in 'chair' (/tʃ/) and 'jam' (/dʒ/) are examples of affricates. Affricates are complex consonant sounds produced by a complete closure in the vocal tract, like a stop, followed by a slow, partial release that creates friction, similar to a fricative.
Question 7: Top-most has a /p/ that is a
- Nasal plosion (Correct answer)
- Incomplete plosion.
- Alveolar plosion
- Bilabial plosion
Correct answer: Nasal plosion
In the word 'top-most,' the /p/ sound is followed by the nasal consonant /m/. When a stop consonant like /p/ is immediately followed by a nasal consonant, the air pressure built up behind the stop is released through the nasal cavity rather than orally. This phenomenon is known as nasal plosion.
Question 8: A speaker is capable of creating an infinite number of grammatical statements using a finite set of rules. This characteristic of language is known as
- Transference (Correct answer)
- Displacement
- Recursiveness
- Duality of structure
Correct answer: Transference
The characteristic of language that allows a speaker to create an infinite number of grammatical statements from a finite set of rules is known as recursiveness. This property enables the embedding of phrases and clauses within other phrases and clauses, allowing for the generation of endlessly complex and novel sentences.
Question 9: As in "boys," the -s is
- Past morpheme
- An adjective forming morpheme (Correct answer)
- Possessive morpheme
- Plural morpheme
Correct answer: An adjective forming morpheme
In the word 'boys,' the suffix '-s' functions as a plural morpheme. It is added to the singular noun 'boy' to indicate that there is more than one, changing the grammatical number of the noun.
Question 10: In the words "sudden" and "mutton," the final /n/ is
- None of the above
- Syllabic consonants (Correct answer)
- Sibilants
- Suffixes
Correct answer: Syllabic consonants
In words like 'sudden' and 'mutton,' the final /n/ is a syllabic consonant. This means that the consonant itself forms the nucleus of a syllable, often occurring when a weak vowel (like a schwa) that would typically precede it is omitted, allowing the consonant to carry the syllable's weight.
Question 11: How many different phonetic transcription styles are typically used?
- None of the above
- Innumerable
- Two (Correct answer)
- Only one
Correct answer: Two
Typically, two main styles of phonetic transcription are used: broad (or phonemic) transcription and narrow (or phonetic) transcription. Broad transcription uses slashes / / to represent the phonemes of a language, focusing on meaning-distinguishing sounds, while narrow transcription uses square brackets [ ] to capture allophonic variations and fine phonetic details of speech production.
Question 12: The book ——— contains the transformational generative grammar theory.
- Both “a’ & “b” (Correct answer)
- Leonard bloomfield’s “language”
- Chomsky’s “aspects of the theory of syntax”
- Chomsky’s “syntactic structures”
Correct answer: Both “a’ & “b”
The theory of transformational generative grammar was primarily developed by Noam Chomsky. His foundational works, 'Syntactic Structures' (1957) and 'Aspects of the Theory of Syntax' (1965), are the key books that contain and elaborate on this theory, revolutionizing the field of linguistics.
Question 13: t, d, n, l, and s are
- Dental
- Alveolar (Correct answer)
- Post-alvoelar
- Palatal
Correct answer: Alveolar
The sounds /t/, /d/, /n/, /l/, and /s/ are all classified as alveolar consonants. This means they are produced by the tongue making contact with or coming very close to the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge located just behind the upper front teeth.
Question 14: An example of ———— is when two sounds interact with one another and combine to create a third sound. assimilation
- Reciprocal (Correct answer)
- Regressiv
- Regressive
- Progressive
Correct answer: Reciprocal
When two sounds interact with one another and combine to create a third, distinct sound, this is an example of reciprocal assimilation. In this type of assimilation, both sounds mutually influence each other, resulting in a new sound that shares features from both original sounds.
Question 15: The sounds produced when the lower lip is pressed up against the upper teeth are known as——
- Labio-dental (Correct answer)
- Alveolar
- Bilabial
- Dental
Correct answer: Labio-dental
Sounds produced when the lower lip is pressed up against the upper teeth are known as labio-dental consonants. Examples in English include the sounds /f/ and /v/, where the articulation involves this specific contact point between the lip and teeth.
Question 16: What is the name of the study of meaning?
- Semantics (Correct answer)
- Phonology
- Syntax
- Morphology
Correct answer: Semantics
Semantics is the branch of linguistics dedicated to the study of meaning in language. It examines how words, phrases, and sentences convey meaning, including lexical meaning, sentence meaning, and the relationship between linguistic expressions and the concepts they represent.
Free Master of Humanities Language and Linguistics Questions and Answers
Are referred to as secondary phonemes.