Chapter 5 Vocab Flashcards
Language
A system of symbols and rules used for communication.
Example: English, Spanish, and French are all languages.
Dialect
A version of a language with unique words and meanings.
Example: British English vs. American English (ex., “lorry” vs. “truck”)
Symbol
Something, like a word, that stands for something else.
Example: The word “dog” represents a four-legged animal.
Denotative meanings
connotative meanings
The dictionary definition of a word.
(Example: The denotative meaning of “apple” is a fruit.)
Connotative meanings
The emotional or cultural meanings tied to a word.
(Example: “Home” connotes warmth and safety.)
phonological rules
Rules about how sounds combine to form words.
Example: The “ph” in English sounds like “f” (phone).
syntactic rules
Rules that decide how words are arranged in sentences.
Example: In English, we say “I am happy,” not “Happy I am.”
semantic rules
Rules about what words mean.
Ex: “bark” means a sound a dog makes, but the outer layer of a tree too.
pragmatic rules
Rules on how language is used in everyday situations.
Example: “Can you pass the salt?” is polite, not just questioning ability
speech act
The purpose of a conversation, like greeting or joking.
(Example: “Good morning” is a speech act for greeting.)
Reappropriation
When a group changes the meaning of an offensive term.
Example: The LGBTQ+ community reappropriated the word “queer.”
coordinated management of meaning (CMM)
People create meaning together when they communicate.
Example: You tell your friend a joke, they laugh, creating shared humor.
linguistic relativism
The idea that language shapes how we see the world.
Ex: Some cultures have many words for snow, shaping how they perceive it
Accent
A different way of pronouncing words.
