Hocketts Features of Language

Question 1

Vocal-auditory canal

Answer 1

idea that speaking/hearing is the mode humans use for language

Question 2

Broadcast transmission and directional reception

Answer 2

sounds are transmitted in all directions, but we perceive the direction from which the sounds are coming

Question 3

Rapid fading

Answer 3

temporary quality of language

Question 4

Interchangeability

Answer 4

idea that humans can give and receive identical linguistic signals (repetition)

Question 5

Total feedback

Answer 5

speakers can hear their own speech and can control and modify what they are saying

Question 6

Linguistic specialization

Answer 6

the purpose of linguistic signals is communication and not some other biological function

Question 7

Semanticity

Answer 7

specific sound signals are directly tied to certain meanings

Question 8

Arbitrariness

Answer 8

languages are generally made up of both arbitrary and iconic (onomatopeia) symbols

Question 9

Discreteness

Answer 9

linguistic representations can be broken down into small discrete units that combine with each other in rule-governed ways

Question 10

Displacement

Answer 10

idea that humans can talk about things that are not physically present or that don’t even exist

Question 11

Productivity

Answer 11

idea that language-users can create and understand novel utterances

Question 12

Traditional transmission

Answer 12

idea that, while humans have innate language capabilities, language is learned after birth

Question 13

Duality of patterning

Answer 13

meaningful messages are made up of distinct smaller meaningful units (words and morphemes) that are also made up of distinct, smaller and meaningless units (phonemes)

Question 14

Prevarication

Answer 14

ability to lie of deceive

Question 15

Reflexiveness

Answer 15

humans can use language to talk about language

Question 16

Learnability

Answer 16

language is teachable and learnable