What is language?

Question 1

Definition of language

Answer 1

Language is human beings’ ability to talk, to communicate, to produce and understand spoken, written words, and signs.

Question 2

Linguistic knowledge or Linguistic competence

Answer 2

It is the profound unconscious knowledge of a language (Grammar, sounds, and sound patterns of language)

Question 3

Mental grammar

Answer 3

the generative grammar that they have stored in their brains to create a language that other speakers can understand

Question 4

Phonetics

Answer 4

study of sounds and is concerned about the creation, production, audition, and perception of speech sounds (called phones)

Question 5

Phonology

Answer 5

manner in which sounds work inside a given language and works at the level of sound systems and abstract sound units.

Question 6

Properties of the language

Answer 6

Arbitrariness, Displacement, Duality, Directness, Productivity

Question 7

Arbitrariness

Answer 7

lack of natural connection between a linguistic form (sound) and its meaning (concept).

Question 8

Productivity

Answer 8

When speakers have knowledge of a language they can combine sounds to form words, words to form phrases, and phrases to form well-formed sentences.

Question 9

Displacement

Answer 9

Refers to the capacity that human beings have to communicate or talk about the past or future.

Question 10

Discreteness

Answer 10

each sound is treated as distinct or different is described as discreteness

Question 11

Duality (or double articulation)

Answer 11

Language is organized into two levels.

Question 12

Linguistic competence (vocabulary and grammar)

Answer 12

It is the knowledge of words (mental dictionary/lexicon) and grammar.

Question 13

Linguistic performnce (speaking, writing)

Answer 13

It is how we use our knowledge of words and grammar (linguistic competence) in real speech production and comprehension

Question 14

Grammar

Answer 14

The set of language rules to produce and understand an infinite set of possible sentences.

Question 15

Descriptive grammar

Answer 15

the description made by linguists or grammarians about a language.

Question 16

Prescriptive grammar

Answer 16

It is a grammar that attempts to regulate what your grammar should be.

Question 17

Universal Grammar

Answer 17

Noam Chomsky claims that all the languages have a common underlying system and all human beings inherit a universal set of principles that provide second language learners to acquire a second language as they acquire their native language

Question 18

Productivity

Answer 18

speakers of all languages have the ability to create an unlimited number of sentences using their linguistic knowledge