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English Language A Level > A01 Terminology > Flashcards

A01 Terminology Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Abstract Nouns

A

An idea, quality or state rather than a concrete object.

Happiness, danger, truth.

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2
Q

Accent

A

The distinct pronunciation patterns in groups of people

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3
Q

Accomodation

A

When a speaker adopts another speakers accent, dialect or sociolect to appear more relatable and likeable.

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4
Q

Acronym

A

Abbreviations that are spoken as a full word

NASA, RAM, OPEC

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5
Q

Active Voice

A

The subject of the action is named first.

Jane kicked the ball = Active Voice
The ball was kicked by Jane = Passive Voice

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6
Q

Adjacency Pair

A

A pair of utterances that commonly go together.

Greeting and reply.
Question and answer.

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7
Q

Adjective

A

Words that describe nouns

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8
Q

Adverb

A

Words that describe Verbs

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9
Q

Adjunct

A

Parts of sentences that are not essential for the sentence to make sense.

I’m happy to help, WHENEVER YOU NEED ME.

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10
Q

Adverbial

A

A word or phrases which act as adverbs and which identify how, when or where, when modifying the verb.

We revised EFFECTIVELY
We danced UNDER THE MOONLIGHT
We danced AFTER EATING LUNCH

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11
Q

Affix

A

A bound morpheme that cannot stand on it’s own and must be added to another word to convey it’s true meaning.

UNhappy
DISpleased

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12
Q

Affordance

A

Language only available because of technology.

Text, email, video clips, online documents.

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13
Q

Agent

A

The subject of active voice.

TRACY opened the door.

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14
Q

Amelioration

A

A word which’s meaning has shifted to become more positive over time.

Nice used to mean foolish or absurd, now it means kind and caring.

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15
Q

Antonym

A

Words that have opposite meanings

Hot/cold
Good/bad

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16
Q

Archaism

A

A word that has fallen out of meaning

Fervent - Hot or glowing, a meaning no longer used
Apothecary - Medical Chemist, no longer generally used

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17
Q

Article

A

A determiner that conveys the level of definiteness.

“A” or “an” could indefinite as they could refer to any subject
“The” is definite as it refers to a specific example

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18
Q

Assimilation

A

Joining together two words for ease of uttering

Got you ➡️ Gotcha

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19
Q

Asymmetrical Power

A

A conversation where the levels of power between the speakers are unbalanced.

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20
Q

Asynchronous Discourse

A

An online conversation with a long stretch between utterances, perhaps even months.

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21
Q

Audience

A

The person or group of people who any spoken or written text is aimed towards.

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22
Q

Audience Positioning

A

Language that implies a text receiver already does or should accept a particular set of beliefs or opinions.

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23
Q

Auxiliary Verb

A

Added to the main verb to help or add meaning to them. They form tenses and moods.

You ARE never too old to learn
He WAS elected by a vote
I MIGHT help

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24
Q

Backchanneling

A

Reassuring comments to show continued interest when in a conversation.

Really?
Of course!
No way!

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25
Q

Bald on-record

A

When a speaker is completely blunt, usually used with close ones otherwise it would cause offensive.

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26
Q

Behaviourism

A

Skinner’s Language Acquisition Theory suggesting language is acquired by copying others.

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27
Q

Bleaching

A

Where a words original meaning is reduced over time.

Awful used to mean worthy of respect, now means “bad”.

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28
Q

Blended words

A

Two words fused together to make a new one

Chill + relax = Chillax
Shop + alcoholic = Shopaholic

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29
Q

Borrowing words

A

A word taken directly from another language.

Chocolate (eng) = Chocolat (fre)

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30
Q

Bound morpheme

A

A morpheme that would not make sense on its own and relies of the rest of the word.

UNhappy

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31
Q

Broadening

A

The opposite of narrowing, where a word adds extra meanings to it’s original meaning.

Cool was originally a genre of jazz now very commonly means respected/admired.

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32
Q

Categorical Overextension

A

The extension of a word so it refers to all items within a category.

Apple being used to represent all fruits
Cats being used to represent all animals

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33
Q

Clipping

A

A new word created from the shortening of another.

Advertisement ➡️ Advert
Luncheon ➡️ Lunch

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34
Q

Code Switching

A

When a speaker of two or more languages switches between the them in general language use.

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35
Q

Child Directed Speech (CDS)

A

The way that carers speak to young children, focuses on the sing song intonation, slower pace, exaggerated pitch, repetition and use of simple questions.

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36
Q

Clause

A

A grammatical unit that contains at least a subject and verb but can also include other elements.

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37
Q

Codification

A

Language spandardisation process.

Specifying spellings in dictionaries
Teaching standard grammar

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38
Q

Cognitive Theory

A

Piaget’s theory that language acquisition can only take place when the cognitive needs of children require it.

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39
Q

Cohesion and coherence

A

Keeping everything in a text linked together

Using connecting phrases like “moreover” and “another example”.

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40
Q

Coin

A

The creation of a new word

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41
Q

Collocation

A

Two or more words commonly used together.

Salt and pepper, upside down, time to spare.

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42
Q

Colloquialism

A

Slang, informal language.

Cannot
Bruv

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43
Q

Comparative

A

Adjectives that compare one thing with another, usually created by adding the suffix.

Big ➡️ Bigger
Quick ➡️ Quicker

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44
Q

Complex Sentence

A

Contains a main clause and at least one subordinate clause.

When you revise carefully, you learn most effectively.

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45
Q

Compound word

A

Two words (sometimes three) joined together to form another word.

Race + Horse = Racehorse
Out + Doors + Man = Outdoorsman

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46
Q

Compound Sentence

A

Contains two or more main clauses joined together with and, but, or, so, yet, nor, for, or a semi-colon.

I revise carefully, SO I can remember the facts.

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47
Q

Compound-Complex sentence

A

This is a compound sentence with at least one subordinate clause added.

I revise carefully, so I can remember the facts because I want to pass the exam.

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48
Q

Concrete Nouns

A

Names of tangible, physical things rather than ideas and concepts.

Girl, table, ship

49
Q

Conjunction

A

Words that join together clauses

And, because

50
Q

Connotation

A

Associated meanings we receive from particular words

Red = Blood, Love, Anger

51
Q

Constraints

A

The limitations for language use in technology

You can’t use tone when texting, emojis are used as a substitute.

52
Q

Context

A

The situation in which a text is produced, impacts on meanings and language choices made.

When, where, who’s writing and what’s going on at the time all have an impact.

53
Q

Convergence

A

Giles accommodation theory, where one speaker will adjust their accent, dialect or sociolect to become closer to the person they are talking to.

54
Q

Cooing

A

Early sounds made by babies (6-8 weeks old) as they begin to explore their vocal chords.

gaga, coo, oo, googoo gaga.

55
Q

Copular Verb

A

A verb that has to have a complement added to it in a sentence for it to make sense.

You seem HAPPY
Sarah is CLEVER

56
Q

Covert Prestige

A

(Trudgill) higher social status obtained by using non standard language that no everyone will understand.

57
Q

Crumbling Castle Metaphor

A

(Atchison) The prescriptivist idea that language is falling apart and needs to be protected.

58
Q

Damp Spoon Metaphor

A

(Aitchison) Suggests that change often happens owing to sloppiness and laziness with words.

59
Q

Decay

A

Prescriptivist belief that any sign of language change is negative (Aitchison)

60
Q

Declarative

A

Type of sentence that states a fact or opinion

61
Q

Deficit Model

A

A theory that assumes something in woman’s language is deficient (Lakoff)

62
Q

Definite article

A

A determiner that indicates a specific thing

The Ball > A Ball

63
Q

Deixis

A

Words that can only be understood with context

Grab THAT chair.

64
Q

Denotation

A

The dictionary definition of a word (literal meaning)

65
Q

Descriptivists

A

People the are more welcoming to language change

66
Q

Determiner

A

Placed before nouns to determine things about them.

Quantity, ownership, specifity

67
Q

Dialect

A

A version of language from a particular region or social group

68
Q

Dialect Levelling

A

Features from certain dialects being absorbed into a more general dialect.

69
Q

Difference Model

A

The idea that men and women use language differently, owing to differing social demands.

70
Q

Dimunitive

A 
A word or suffix that is used to indicate smallness
Chick = Chicklet
Duck = Duckling
71
Q

Diphthong

A

Two vowels sounds are joined together in one syllable to form one speech sound.
cOIn
mOUld

72
Q

Direct Object

A

In a sentence, the thing that is acted upon by the agent.

Jane broke THE VASE.

73
Q

Discourse 1

A

A spoken or written text, more than one sentence

74
Q

Discourse Marker

A

A word or phrase that indicates a movement from one topic or focus to the next in a discourse.

75
Q

Disjunct

A

Non essential adverbial additions to sentences to show the writers attitudes or feelings about something.

76
Q

Discourse Structure

A

The content in a text and the order it appears.
Introduction
Paragraphs
Conclusion

77
Q

Divergence

A

Accentuating the difference in language from the person you are speaking to reinforce the difference.

78
Q

Dominance Model

A

The idea that males dominant mixed gender conversions.

79
Q

Downward Convergence

A

When a person lowers their formality of speech to become closer to the person they’re speaking to.

80
Q

Dysphemism

A

Consciously blunt and rude language.

Do-gooder, idiot, fool

81
Q

Ease of articulation

A

Changes in language that occur because it’s easier to say something in a certain way.
Is not it = isn’t it

82
Q

Eponym

A

Specific things named after a person.

Sandwich, Wellington

83
Q

Elaborated Code

A

The use of more sophisticated language by the upper class

84
Q

Epistemic Modality

A

Auxiliary Verbs that refer to the level of possibility.

Might, could

85
Q

Estuary English

A

A mixture of RP and London English which is spreading through England.

86
Q

Ethnicity

A

Someone’s cultural heritage

Asian, African, Carribean

87
Q

Etymology

A

The history of a word, spellings and meanings over time.

88
Q

Exclamative

A

A declarative with an exclamation mark to add emphasis.
I hate cheese!
That’s fantastic!

89
Q

Exophoric Reference

A

A reference to something outside the text.

Harry Potter was J.K Rowling’s first success.

90
Q

Face Theory

A

We have a self image we want to protect, he don’t want to lose face.
Saving face.

91
Q

Face Threatening Act

A

Language that threatens someone’s “face”

92
Q

Figurative Language

A

Similes and metaphors and other language techniques that are non literal.

93
Q

Formality

A

Part of the register, level of sophistication

94
Q

Functional Theory

A

The idea that language changes because of societies needs

95
Q

Gender

A

The social expectations associated with being male or female

96
Q

Generic Pronouns

A

Pronouns that do not mark gender

97
Q

Genre

A

The type of text

98
Q

Glottal Stop

A

The closing of the vocal chords to replace the T sound.

Water = Wa’er

99
Q

Grapheme

A

Individual sounds in words

S - P - OO - N

100
Q

Graphology

A

All visual elements of a text

101
Q

Head Word

A

The word in a phrase which carries the main meaning

102
Q

Hegemonic

A

Culturally dominant

103
Q

Hierarchy

A

The order of importance and authority in conversation

104
Q

Holophrase

A

A simple word used to communicate more complex meanings.

Bottle = I am hungry, feed me.

105
Q

Homophonic representation

A

In electronic texts using single letters to represent sounds
2 L8 = too late

105
Q

Homophonic representation

A

In electronic texts using single letters to represent sounds
2 L8 = too late

106
Q

Hypernym

A

A term that refers to a group of things.

Sport = Football, Tennis, Rugby

107
Q

Hyponym

A

A term referring to one of the constituents of a group of things.
Football is a hyponym under the Sport Hypernym

108
Q

Ideology

A

A belief system that people hold.

Communist, Environmentalist

109
Q

Idiom

A

An expression where the meaning is different from what the words suggest.
Break a leg = Good Luck
Pear Shaped = Gone wrong

110
Q

Idiolect

A

An individual persons ways of speaking.

111
Q

Imperative

A

A sentence that issues a command or instruction

112
Q

Indirect Object

A

A person or thing in a sentence that receives the action
I gave Sarah some flowers
Sarah was given some flowers
Sarah was hit by a Japanese bullet train

113
Q

Infectious Disease Theory

A

Suggests non standard language spreads like an infectious disease.

114
Q

Inference

A

Drawing an implied or associated meanings from something

115
Q

Inflection

A 
A bound morpheme added to words to make them plural, change tense, show possession's, or draw comparison.
ChipS
SkippED
BiggER
John'S
He hopeS
116
Q

Influential Power

A

Influencing or persuading rather than using any kind of authority

117
Q

Informalisation

A

The idea that written language now includes more informal language.

English Language A Level (7 decks)

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