Intro Flashcards
Define linguistics
The study of language
Define historical linguistics
- The study of how languages have changed through time
– The relationships of languages to each
other
Define Applied Linguistics
The application of linguistics through:
-speech pathology
-lang. policy making
-lexicography
-translation
Define anthropological linguistics
The study of the relationship between language and culture
Define sociolinguistics
The study of the relationship b/n lang. and social structure including:
-lang. variation
-attitudes towards language
Define psycholinguistics
The study of the relationship b/n lang. and cognitive structures specialising in the acquistion of lang.
Define neurolinguistics
-study of the brain and the role it plays in the production of language
-focuses on lang. loss due to injury, disease, etc
What does phonetics encompass?
The articulation and perception of sounds
What does phonology encompass?
The patterning of speech sounds
What does morphology encompass?
the formation of words
What does syntax encompass?
the formation of sentences
What does semantics encompass?
the interpretation of words and sentences
Define acoustics
The properties of a range of sounds: noise, music, speech
What does articulatory phonetics encompass?
The production of sounds
How is sound produced?
By air passing from the lungs, through the windpipe, vocal folds, throat, mouth and nose
The vibrations of speech sounds is considered…
Acoustic phonetics
How sounds are heard and perceived is considered…
Auditory phonetics (spec. audiology)
What part of the body produces speech?
The vocal organs
List the 5 primary vocal organs
– the lungs
– the trachea
– the larynx
– the pharynx
– the oral cavity (mouth)
Define prescriptive grammar
a set of rules or norms governing how a lang. SHOULD be used “properly”
Define descriptive grammar
Objective, non-judgemental description of grammatical constructions of language
What group(s) focus on prescriptive grammar
Editors and teachers
What group(s) focus on descriptive grammar?
Linguists
How can you identify the difference in meaning between two homophones?
Spelling
How can you tell the meaning of a word two words which are spelled the same?
Transcription
T/F: spelling = pronunciation
False
T/F: The IPA is language specific
False
What alphabet was the IPA modelled after?
Latin
List some cases where the IPA is used
- learning a new language
- singing and acting
- transcription
- dictation
- field studies`
Define syllable
The shortest stretch of speech that a speaker can pronounce in a natural way
What is the term used for a word that only has one syllable
Monosyllabic
T/F: a syllable typically contains a vowel
True
Define segments
Individual speech sounds that make up syllables
Referring to “book” as CVC is an example of what representation?
A CV-skeleton
T/F: CV-skeletons focus on the spelling of a word
False; concerned with classifying speech segments, NOT spelling
T/F: Diphthongs count as one segment of speech
True
What does it mean to be a syllabic consonant?
Consonants which are able to stand as syllables without a present vowel (ie settle [phonetically: set-l])
T/F: Syllables are units of spelling
False; they are units of pronounciation
T/F: since “dog” is monosyllabic, “dogs” is pluralsyllabic
False; both are mono
Define suprasegmentals
Features that are not segments but seem to spread across several successive segments
Give examples of suprasegmentals
Stress and tone
The pronounciation of import (n) and import (v) is an example of this
Stress and tone (which syllable is emphasized)
List the three kinds of writing systems
- Alphabetic
- Syllabaries
- Logographic
What defines a writing system as alphabetic.
Writing systems that use letters to represent a segment
What defines a writing system as a syllabary
One symbol for each possible syllable
Give an example of an alphabetic language
English, Greek, Russian, Hebrew
Give an example of a syllabary
Linear B
What defines a writing system as logographic
A writing system that does not attempt to represent pronounciation at all but rather a character to represent complete words
Give an example of a logographic writing systems
Chinese, Hieroglyphics
T/F: writing and speech go hand-in-hand
False; writing is a relatively new technology
Define homophones
Different words that are pronounced the same
T/F: you are always immediately able to tell the amount of syllables in a word
False; it is often difficult to discern, esp. for non-native speakers
