TEFL Vocabulary Terminology 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'polysemy' in vocabulary studies?
- A word that sounds the same as another but has a different meaning
- A single word form that carries multiple related meanings (Correct answer)
- Two different words that share the same meaning
- A word formed by combining two independent words
Correct answer: A single word form that carries multiple related meanings
Polysemy refers to a single word having multiple related meanings, such as 'bank' meaning a financial institution or the side of a river.
Question 2: A 'semantic map' or 'word web' is used in vocabulary instruction primarily to:
- Show phonetic transcription of new words
- Visually organize related words and concepts around a target word (Correct answer)
- List synonyms in order of formality
- Trace the historical origins of vocabulary items
Correct answer: Visually organize related words and concepts around a target word
Semantic maps visually connect a target word to related concepts, synonyms, examples, and associations to deepen understanding.
Question 3: The term 'morpheme' refers to:
- The smallest unit of meaning in a language (Correct answer)
- The sound pattern of a syllable
- A complete word in isolation
- A grammatical category such as noun or verb
Correct answer: The smallest unit of meaning in a language
A morpheme is the smallest grammatical unit that carries meaning; for example, 'unhappy' contains two morphemes: 'un-' and 'happy.'
Question 4: What is the difference between 'receptive' and 'productive' vocabulary knowledge?
- Receptive vocabulary is formal; productive vocabulary is informal
- Receptive vocabulary is words learners understand; productive vocabulary is words they actively use (Correct answer)
- Receptive vocabulary refers to reading; productive to listening
- Receptive vocabulary is larger in writing; productive larger in speech
Correct answer: Receptive vocabulary is words learners understand; productive vocabulary is words they actively use
Receptive vocabulary consists of words learners recognize and understand, while productive vocabulary includes words they can use correctly in output.
Question 5: What does the term 'word family' encompass?
- Words that rhyme with each other
- A headword and all its inflected and derived forms (Correct answer)
- Words frequently used together in collocations
- A group of words belonging to the same grammatical category
Correct answer: A headword and all its inflected and derived forms
A word family includes a base word and all its related forms, such as 'create,' 'creation,' 'creative,' 'creatively,' and 'creativity.'
Question 6: Which technique involves presenting new vocabulary through visual images, real objects, or physical demonstrations?
- Deductive presentation
- Elicitation
- Realia and visual aids (Correct answer)
- Metalinguistic explanation
Correct answer: Realia and visual aids
Using realia (real objects) and visual aids is a direct, non-translation method for conveying the meaning of new vocabulary items.
Question 7: What is 'lexical inferencing'?
- Predicting vocabulary that will appear in a text before reading
- The process of deducing an unknown word's meaning using available cues (Correct answer)
- Memorizing vocabulary lists through inference exercises
- Comparing word meanings across different dialects
Correct answer: The process of deducing an unknown word's meaning using available cues
Lexical inferencing is the cognitive process by which learners use contextual, morphological, or world-knowledge cues to work out the meaning of unfamiliar words.
TEFL Vocabulary Terminology 3
What is 'polysemy' in vocabulary studies?