Intro to Syntax

Question 1

What differentiates written languages from spoken?

Answer 1

Written language can be edited, must be taught, doesn’t exist everywhere and is developed later (after speaking)
Speaking is an innate ability

Question 2

What word order does English follow?

Answer 2

SVO (most common order, 44% of known languages follow it)

Question 3

What percentage of the world’s languages are well documented?

Answer 3

10%

Question 4

What word order does British Sign Language follow?

Answer 4

OSV

Question 5

What is language composed of?

Answer 5

Sentences (Syntax), 
Meaning (Semantics), 
Sounds (Phonetics and Morphology), 
Words and Subwords (Morphology),
Conversation Context (Pragmatics)

Question 6

What does the study of syntax include?

Answer 6

Structure
Word Order
Classification of words and sub parts
Sentence Construction

Question 7

What are the differences between gestures and sign languages

Answer 7

Sign language: individual form of communication, counts as a langues differing only in modality
Gestures: used to supplement spoken language and cannot be used creatively

Question 8

How many signed languages are there?

Answer 8

Around 150

Question 9

Explain the difference between inclusive or exclusive languages.

Answer 9

Inclusive languages (English) have a "we" that is ambiguous, as it can mean us & you
Exclusive languages have a "we" that means us and not you

Question 10

How is animal communication different from human language?

Answer 10

Animals don’t have a language
They communicate with a limited set of symbols
Cannot be displaced (hypothetics/situations unrelated to the present)
Not recursive

Question 11

What is a gloss?

Answer 11

Used in translating

Language data interlinear gloss

Question 12

How is lexical and grammatical info differentiated in a gloss?

Answer 12

Lexical information is given in small letters

Grammatical information is given in capitals

Question 13

How are morphemes indicated in a gloss?

Give examples

Answer 13

Morphemes are separated by a hyphen
habl-o/habl-a/habl-amos
re-do/un-do

Question 14

What is a morpheme?

Answer 14

The smallest unit of meaning

Question 15

What are the differences between descriptive and prescriptive views on language?

Answer 15

Descriptive: view in linguistics - all languages are equally complex
descriptions of speaker’s knowledge of the rules and units of their language

Prescriptive:intended to elaborate on how speakers should speak, with rules and right and wrong
Rules are generally random and unnatural

Question 16

Give an example of a prescriptive English rule

Answer 16

Double negatives are incorrect

• Normal in French and Spanish
• -No quiero hablar con nadie

Question 17

What is the second most popular word order?

Answer 17

SOV is followed by 35% of known languages

-Tamil

Question 18

What word order does Hawaiin follow?

Answer 18

VSO, which is followed by 19% of known languages

Question 19

What word order does Malagasy follow?

Answer 19

VOS, as followed by 2% of known languages

Question 20

Explain promotion

Give examples

Answer 20

When an argument assumes a higher ranking position on a grammatical relations hierarchy/is given increased importance.
Must happen in stages : Preposition -> Direct Object -> Subject (Passivisation)

Question 21

Are “I” and “she” nominative or accusative pronouns?

Answer 21

Nominative

Question 22

Are “me” and “her” nominative or accusative pronouns?

Answer 22

Accusative

Question 23

Give example sentences of promotion

Answer 23

PP=Ali sent the letter to Hassan
DO=Ali sent Hassan the letter
S=Hassan was sent the letter by Ali