Intro to Language

Question 1

Communication difficulty - production

Answer 1

Expressive language

Question 2

Communication difficulty - understanding or comprehending

Answer 2

Receptive language

Question 3

Communication difficulty - social contexts

Answer 3

Pragmatic language

Question 4

Better termS for hearing-related issues

Answer 4

‘hard of hearing’ + ‘deaf’

Question 5

Language is ___ (3 major terms)

Answer 5

Complex, systematic, infinitely creative

Question 6

Describe the steps of the speech communication chain (4)

Answer 6

How to produce sounds; brain pronunciation plan; signal transmission; signal perception by other person

Question 7

Define the word ‘modality’

Answer 7

The mode or medium by which a language is produced. (determines the means by which a language is perceived)

Question 8

Language modalities (3) + describe how they are transmitted
_____ -gestural

Answer 8

Auditory-vocal - spoken (air movement, movement of larynx, muscles in pharynx + mouth)
Visual-gestural - signed language (arm + hand, facial expressions, head movements)
Tactile-gestural - tactile/touch (arm + hand, head movements)

Question 9

Describe all ways that language is communicated + their roles (6)

Answer 9

1. Phonetics (smallest units of sounds)
2. Phonology (combination of sounds into words)
3. Morphology (morphemes - smallest units of meaning; making words out of meaningful chunks not words themselves)
4. Syntax (properly putting words together; looks at the rules that govern our sentences)
5. Semantics (words put together in a way creating an actual meaningful sequence)
6. Pragmatics (words put together that make sense in a social context)

Question 10

What are the terms that affect language change (2)

Answer 10

Speed and magnitude

Question 11

Competence of language vs performance of language (DIFFERENCES)

Answer 11

1. All of your implicit knowledge about your language.
2. Organized + reps your mind
3. HIDDEN knowledge
4. USE of language
5. Observable
6. Using language performance to look at language competence

Question 12

The type of grammar : implicit knowledge about a language’s structure and semanticity

Answer 12

Mental grammar

Question 13

The type of grammar : structure and rules coming from a linguist’s observation

Answer 13

Descriptive grammar

Question 14

The type of grammar : socially acceptable idea of what is the ‘correct vs incorrect’ use of language

Answer 14

Prescriptive grammar

Question 15

Hockett’s Design Features (all)

Answer 15

1. Mode of communication (any lang.)
2. Semanticity (any lang.)
3. Pragmatic function (any lang.)
4. Interchangeability ( –> <– messages)
5. Cultural transmission (users, descendants)
6. Arbitrariness (form + meaning = words/function)
7. Discreteness (categories –> combinations)
8. Displacement (human, can be separated)
9. Productivity (infinite poss.)

Question 16

Kinds of languages (+ description?) (3)

Answer 16

1. Constructed language : specifically invented (also can be part of natural languages)
2. Natural languages : languages that evolve naturally in a speech comm.
3. Formal language : computer + math. language