Intro to linguistics

Question 1

linguistic competence

Answer 1

Introduced by Noam Chomsky linguistic competence is the rules that governs an individual’s tacit understanding of what is acceptable and what is not in the language they speak.

https://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/elljwp/competence.htm

Question 2

linguistic performance

Answer 2

The actual use of ones language in concrete situation based off the speaker’s knowledge of his or her language or competence.

http://ejournals.lib.auth.gr/thal/article/view/5476/5373

Question 3

speech communication chain

Answer 3

the different forms in which a spoken message exists in its progress from then mind of the speaker to the mind of the listener.

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-541j-speech-communication-spring-2004/syllabus/6541j_overview04.pdf

Question 4

speech communication chain steps

Answer 4

linguistic Level: Basic sounds of communication are chosen to express some thought of idea–> physiological level: where the vocal tract components
produce the sounds associated with the linguistic units of the utterance –> Acoustic level: where sound is released from the lips and nostrils and transmitted to both the speaker (sound feedback) and to the listener –> Physiological level: where the sound is analyzed by the ear and the auditory nerves –> linguistic: level where the speech is perceived as asequence of linguistic units and understood in terms of the ideas
being communicated.

https://web.ece.ucsb.edu/Faculty/Rabiner/ece259/digital%20speech%20processing%20course/lectures_new/Lecture%204_winter_2012_6tp.pdf

Question 5

noise

Answer 5

Physical noise: noise that creates a barrier between the listener and speaker for example an airplane, construction or a loud party.
Psychological noise: Lingering thoughts that one thinks about instead of perceiving what the speaker is saying; For example, financial worries, deadlines, linguistic note cards
Physiological noise: Physical conditions experienced by the listener that inhibit him/her from listening to what the speaker is saying. Illness, hunger, tiredness,
Semantic noise: Words that are not comprehended due to listeners lack of knowledge about subject matter. This can be jargon, euphemism, unique word choice or mispronunciation.
http://kell.indstate.edu/public-comm-intro/chapter/5-4-why-listening-is-difficult/

Question 6

lexicon

Answer 6

The vocabulary or dictionary of a language or the set of all morphemes in a language.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Lexicon+(linguistics)

Question 7

mental grammar

Answer 7

A shared system that allows speakers and listeners to understand each others ideas when they speak. These are ideas and words are stored in the brains of the speaker and listener which in turn allows them to understand one another.

Question 8

language variation

Answer 8

Language Variation involves the study of how language varies among different groups of speakers and the relationship of this variation to social factors. For example, although all states in the U.S. speak english, there may be different variations of words among different regions of the country.
https://linguistics.uga.edu/research/content/sociolinguistics-and-language-variation

Question 9

descriptive grammar

Answer 9

Lay out of the grammatical rules and elements of a language as it is actually used. These are written by linguists who study how people use and create a language. This is how individuals speak, but not necessarily the correct way to speak
https://guides.emich.edu/c.php?g=187871&p=4324721#:~:text=What%20Is%20a%20descriptive%20grammar,with%20pedagogical%20or%20prescriptive%20grammars.

Question 10

evidence that writing and language are not the same (list 4 reasons)

Answer 10

1.Spoken Language is learned through human interaction from a young age from parents to their children. Writing is learned through explicit instruction through schooling 2. Language focuses on tone, emphasis, dialect and individual characteristics. Writing can be very hard to interpret in terms of tone, emphasis, dialect and individual characteristics 3. Language is spoken and heard. Writing is written and read. 4. Spoken languages have dialects across different regions of a country, but writing is encouraged to follow uniform structure regardless the region.

Question 11

reasons some people believe writing to be superior to speech (list 3 reasons)

Answer 11

1. Writing can physically preserve ideas and thoughts. 2. written language is associated with political and economic power.
2. A manipulation of words can exist before it is ever vocalized

Question 12

prescriptive grammar

Answer 12

The approach to grammar that tells people the rules of how they should speak and write the English language.
https://osuwritingcenter.okstate.edu/blog/2020/10/30/prescriptive-and-descriptive-grammar

Question 13

Charles Hockett’s nine design features (necessary for a communication system to be considered a language) (list)

Answer 13

Mode of Communication: How a message is transmitted
semanticity: Signal in all communication systems have meaning
Pragmatic Function: All communication systems serve some useful purpose
Interchangeability: Ability to both send and receive messages
Cultural transmission: Notion that at least some part of a communication system is learned through interaction with other users
Arbitrariness: Form of a symbol is not inherently or directly related to its meaning or function (ex. a dog barring his teeth)
Discreteness: Property of being able to construct complex messages that are built up out of smaller discrete parts
Displacement: Ability to communicate about things that are not present in space or time
Productivity: Property of a language that allows for rule-based expression of an infinite number of messages, including the expression of novel ideas

Question 14

mode of communication

Answer 14

are different ways that texts can be presented. Image, writing, layout, speech and moving images are all examples of different kinds of modes. Linguistic, Visual, Aural, Spatial and Aural

Question 15

semanticity

Answer 15

the property of language that allows it to represent events, ideas, actions, and objects symbolically, thereby endowing it with the capacity to communicate meaning. tps://dictionary.apa.org/semanticity

Question 16

pragmatic function

Answer 16

The meaning a speaker wishes to convey to the person they are speaking to. Things to consider. a) what is being said, b) who is saying it, c) who is it being said to, d) the context in which it is being said.
https://home.soka.ac.jp/~alex/sokhome06b/lrtips/listip3.html

Question 17

interchangeability

Answer 17

the ability to transmit and receive identical linguistic signals. This gives the ability to produce signals everyone can understand.

Question 18

cultural transmission

Answer 18

The process of passing language from one generation to the next in a community.

Question 19

arbitrariness

Answer 19

Form of a symbol is not inherently or directly related to its meaning or function

Question 20

linguistic sign

Answer 20

According to Ferdinand de Saussure (1916), A bilateral, sign that has two aspects which are inseparably connected: the sound sequence (signifier) on the level of expression, and the concept (signified) on the level of meaning. http://www.ello.uos.de/field.php/Semantics/Thelinguisticsign

Question 21

convention

Answer 21

formally or informally agreed upon ways we use language this can be done in writing or speech

Question 22

non-arbitrariness

Answer 22

direct correspondence between the physical properties of a form and the meaning that the form refers to

Question 23

iconic

Answer 23

a relationship of resemblance or similarity between the two aspects of a sign: its form and its meaning. An iconic sign is one whose form resembles its meaning in some way.

Question 24

onomatopoeia

Answer 24

The use of a sound or action by imitation of the sound it is associated with. Buzz, Hiss, Pow

Question 25

conventionalized

Answer 25

Languages are considered to be conventionalized because the group agrees to the rules of the language.

Question 26

sound symbolism

Answer 26

sounds or phonemes that are directly involved in conveying meaning as opposed to being arbitrary.

Question 27

discreteness

Answer 27

This describes the fact that human language is composed of sets of distinct sounds. One sound on its own may convey one meaning, multiple sounds combined in a particular order convey a different meaning

Question 28

displacement

Answer 28

The characteristic of language that allows users to talk about things and events other than those occurring in the present .

Question 29

productivity

Answer 29

the degree to which native speakers use a particular grammatical process, especially in word formation. They will use this process repeatedly.

Question 30

modality

Answer 30

Refers to linguistic devices that indicate the degree to which an observation is possible

Question 31

myths about signed languages (list 4)

Answer 31

1. Sign language is universal
2. Everyone who knows signed languages can red lips
3. You must speak slowly
4. signing hinders learning speech.

Question 32

differences between codes and languages (list 4)

Answer 32

Languages occur organically in a natural setting between individuals or groups. Codes are created through computer software.
Language break down words in to smaller parts (phonemes) Coding breaks down in a structured manner that is unambiguous.
Coding is not vocalized only computerized, but can be coded to created signs and symbols Languages use the use signs and symbols and vocalization to communicate.
Language can still produce an outcome even if produced incorrectly, Coding may not produce an outcome at all.

Question 33

Performance Error

Answer 33

Speech errors that occur due to lack of focus on the person or subject that is being talked about. Some speech errors occur while someone may be speaking too fast or trying to multitask.

Question 34

Prescribe

Answer 34

the conditions in which a culture, group of people or government decide on the rules of how a language will be spoken.