Linguistics Review

Question 1

Historical linguistics

Answer 1

The study of how languages change over time and the relationship among different languages

Question 2

Synchronic linguistics

Answer 2

The study of a language at a given point in time

Question 3

Diachronic linguistics

Answer 3

Another name for historical linguistics

Question 4

Language family

Answer 4

A group of languages derived from the same ancestral language

Question 5

Proto-language

Answer 5

An ancestral language from which it is assumed that many languages were derived

Question 6

Relatedness hypothesis

Answer 6

The hypothesis that languages are derived from a mother language

Question 7

Regularity hypothesis

Answer 7

The idea that numerous similarities in languages indicate that the languages derive from a mother language

Question 8

Cognates

Answer 8

Similar words in two or more different languages that were derived from a similar root language and may have similar meanings

Question 9

Comparative method

Answer 9

A procedure that involves looking at similarities in languages to determine the degree of relationship between those languages and to reconstruct ancestral (proto-) languages

Question 10

Wave model (Schmidt)

Answer 10

A model of language relatedness which attempts to deal with some of the weakness of the family tree model. (Think of a meme)

Question 11

Diffusion

Answer 11

The process whereby a cultural item moves from one geographic area to another

Question 12

Phonology

Answer 12

The study of the sound system of a language (what sounds and the rules that guide them)

Question 13

Morphology

Answer 13

The study of the structure and classification of words and the units that make up words

Question 14

Syntax

Answer 14

The set of rules a person uses to form units of language larger than words and the study of those rules

Question 15

Semantics

Answer 15

The study of the meaning of linguistics expressions, such as morphemes, words, phases, clauses, and sentences

Question 16

Unconditioned sound changes

Answer 16

A sound change that appears to have happened spontaneously and everywhere (with few exceptions) in the language

Question 17

Conditioned sound change

Answer 17

A type of sound change that takes place only in certain phonological environments

Question 18

Analogy

Answer 18

A process by which one form of a word (or other linguistic phenomenon) is used as the model for constructing another word or structure

Question 19

Lexicostatistics

Answer 19

A technique of developing hypotheses about the historical relationship between languages and dialects

Question 20

Glottochronology

Answer 20

The study of the amount of time that sister languages have been separated from their mother language

Question 21

Grimm’s law

Answer 21

A principle proposed by Jakob Grimm which described a systematic phonological change from certain Proto-Indo-European consonants to different consonants in daughter languages

Question 22

Great vowel shift

Answer 22

An unconditioned sound change that altered all Middle English long vowels

Question 23

Innateness hypothesis

Answer 23

The hypothesis proposes that children have the innate capacity to differentiate phonemes, extract words from the stream of language, and process grammar

Question 24

Language acquisition device

Answer 24

The theoretical area of hardwiring in the brains of children that propels them to acquire language

Question 25

Universal grammar (UG)

Answer 25

The system involving phonemic differences, word order, and phrase recognition that is that basic for the theory of the innateness of language acquisition

Question 26

Critical period hypothesis

Answer 26

This hypothesis proposes that the language acquisition device ceases to function, and the ability to acquire language with native fluency declines as childhood progresses, disappearing after the age of puberty

Question 27

Imitation hypothesis

Answer 27

The hypothesis proposes that children acquire language by imitating the people around them

Question 28

Reinforcement hypothesis

Answer 28

The hypothesis postulates that children acquire language by positive reinforcement when they produce a grammatical utterance and by being corrected when they don’t

Question 29

Interactionist hypothesis

Answer 29

The hypothesis postulates that children acquire language by their innate language abilities to extract the rules of the language from their environment and construct the phonology, semantics, and syntax of their native language

Question 30

Babbling stage

Answer 30

The verbalization made by babies beginning at four to six months of age, which alternate consonants and vowels

Question 31

Holophrastic stage

Answer 31

The stage of language acquisition in which the child uses one-word utterances to express an entire sentence

Question 32

Telegraphic speech

Answer 32

Occurs as children begin adding more words to their two-word sentences

Question 33

Unitary system hypothesis

Answer 33

A hypothesis proposes that infants, exposed to two or more languages, begin by constructing one lexicon and one set of semantic rules to encompass both languages

Question 34

Separate system hypothesis

Answer 34

Proposes that infants, exposed to two or more languages, differentiate the languages from the very beginning, constructing different phonological systems, lexicons, and semantic systems

Question 35

Productive vocabulary

Answer 35

Consists of the words that a person is able to use

Question 36

Receptive vocabulary

Answer 36

The words that a person is able to understand