English Linguistics MCQs
‘Areas of linguistics’ means:
(a) Any of a number of areas of study in which linguistic insights have been brought to bear, for instance socioloinguistics in which scholars study society and the way language is used in it.
(b) Other examples are psycholinguistics which is concerned with the psychological and linguistic development of the child.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
‘Convention’ means
(a) An agreement, usually reached unconsciously by speakers in a community.
(b) That relationships are to apply between linguistic items, between these and the outside world.
(c) To appy in the use of rules in the grammar of their language.
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
What is meant by the term ‘Arbiutrariness’?
(a) An essential notion in structural lngustics which denies any necessary relationship between linguistic signs
(b) Their referents, e.g. objects in the outside world
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
‘Creativiaty’ means:
(a) An accepted feature of human language derving from the phenomenon of sentence generation.
(b) Which accoutns for speaker’ ability to produce and to understand a theoretically intinite number of sentences.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
An approach to linguistics which is concerned with saying what language is like and not what it should
be like (prescriptivism) is:
(a) Figurative
(b) Geneative
(c) Descriptive
(d) Contrast
Question’s Answer: Descriptive
‘Applied linguistics’ means:
(a) The application of insightsfrom theoretical linguistics to practical matters
(b) Such as language teaching, remedial linguistic therapy, language planning or whatever
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
What is meant by the term ‘Figurative’?
(a) Any use of a word in a non-literal sense, e.g. at athe foot of the mountain where foot is employed figuratively to indicate the bottom of the mountain.
(b) Figurative usage is the source of the second meaning of polysemous words.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
What is meant by the term ‘Dispalcement’?
(a) One of the key characteristics of human language
(b) Which enables it to refer to situations which are not here and now, e.g. I studed linguistics in London when I was in my twienties.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
‘Economy’ means:
(a) A priciple of linguistic analysis which demand that rules and units are to be kept to a mimimum, i.e.
(b) Every postulated rule or unit must be justified lingustically by capturing a generalisation about the language being analysed if not about all languages.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
‘Extra-linguistic’ means:
(a) Any phenomenon which lies outside of language
(b) An extralinguistic reason for a linguistic feature would be one which is not to be found in the language itself.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
An adjective rferring to liguistic analyses which lay emphais on relatively abstract conceptions of language structure is:
(a) Hierarchy
(b) Language
(c) Formalist
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Formalist
‘General linguistics’ means:
(a) A broad term for investigations I which are concerned with the nature of language, procedures of linguistic analysis, etc.
(b) Without considering to what use these can be put. It contrasts explicitly with applied linguistics.
(c) (a) & (b)
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: (a) & (b)
‘Generative’ means:
(a) A reference to a type of linguistic analysis
(b) Which relies heavily on the formulation of rules for the exhaustive description (generation) of the sentences of a language.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
What is meant by the term ‘Marked’?
(a) A term used to state that a particular form is statistically unusual or unexpected in a certain context.
(b) For instance zero plurals in English such as sheep or deer are marked.
(c) a& b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
What is meant by the term ‘Hierarchy’?
(a) Any order of elements from the most central or basic to the most peripheral, e.g.
(b) A hierarchy of word classes in English would include nouns and verbs at the top and elements like adjectives and adverbs further down with conjunctions and subordinators still further down.
(c) The notions of top and bottom are intended in a metaphorical sense.
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
A situation where the linguist chooses to ignore details of language use for reasons of greater generalization is:
(a) Performance
(b) Idealisation
(c) Structuralism
(d) Metaphor
Question’s Answer: Idealisation
What is meant by the term ‘Lay speaker’?
(a) A general term to refer to an individual who does not possess linguistic training
(b) And who can be taken to be largely unaware of the structure of language.
(c) (a) & (b)
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: (a) & (b)
What is meant by the term ‘Linguistic determinism’?
(a) Refers to the view, propounded by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf, that language determines the way in which people think.
(b) Also termed the linguistic relativity hypothesis.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
‘Onomastics’ means:
(a) The linguistic study of names, both personal and place names.
(b) This field is particularly concerned with etymology and with the general historical value of the information which names offer the linguist.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
‘Theoretical linguistics means:.
(a) The study of the structure of language without any concern for practical applications which might arise from one’s work
(b) The study of human sounds without immediate regard to their systematic status for a certain language.
(c) A system of letters intended to represent the sounds of a language in writing.
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The study of the structure of language without any concern for practical applications
which might arise from one’s work
‘Zoosemiotics’ means:
(a) The study of human, sounds without immediate regard to their systematic status for a certain language.
(b) The investigation of communications systems used by animals.
(c) A situation where the linguist chooses to ignore details of language use for reasons of greater generalization
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The investigation of communications systems used by animals
Parameter’ means:
(a) Any aspect of language which can obtain a specific value in a given language, e.g.
(b) Canonical word-order which can have the verb in a declarative sentence either before the subject
(c) After the subject or after both subject and object. Contrast principle in this respect.
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
‘Paradigm’ mean:
(a) The set of forms belonging to a particular word-class or member of a word-class.
(b) A paradigm can be thought of as a vertical list of forms which can occupy a slot in a syntagm Pronounced
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
What is meant by the term ‘Sapir-Whorf hypothesis”?
(a) The notion that thought is determined by language.
(b) While few linguists nowadays accept this strict link, there would seem to be some truth to the postulation of the two American anthropologists linguists.
(c) a & b
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
What is meant by the term ‘Root’?
(a) In grammar the unalterable core of a word to which all suffixes are added, e.g. friend in un-friend-li-ness.
(b) In etymology, the earliest form of a word.
(c) In phonetics, the part of the tongue which lies furthest back in the mouth.
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
What is meant by the term ‘Taxonomic’?
(a) A reference to linguistics in which the main aim is to list and classify features and phenomena.
(b) It is usually implied that no attempt for linguistic generalisations is made.
(c) a & b
(d)None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: a & b
Firstly, to which of these language groups does English belong?
(a) Germanic
(b) Romance
(c) Baltic
(d) Slavonic
Question’s Answer: Germanic
In the sentence ‘I took my big brown cat to the vet yesterday’, which of the appear? following does not
(a) Adjective
(b) Preposition
(c) Conjunction
(d) Adverb
Question’s Answer: Conjunction
What are the different branches of linguistics?
(a) Phonetics
(b) Morphology
(c) Syntax, semantics
(d) Pragmatics
(e) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
The combination of sounds ‘ms-‘ is not acceptable as the beginning of a word or syllable in English. In which of these languages is it acceptable?
(a) Russian
(b) French
(c) Dutch
(d) Finnish
Question’s Answer: Russian
And finally… Old Norse is almost the same as which modern Scandinavian language?
(b Norwegian
(a) Danish
(c) Swedish
(d) Icelandic
Question’s Answer: Icelandic
What is defined as the study of sentence structure”?
(a) Morphology
(b) Semantics
(c) Conjunction
(d) Syntax
Question’s Answer: Conjunction
Three of these languages do not have definite articles. Which one does have a structure that serves the purpose of a definite article?
(a) Russian
(b) Swedish
(c) Latin
(d) Finnish
Question’s Answer: Swedish
In dialectology, what is the line on a map called which divides areas with different forms of a word?
(a) Isobar
(b) Isomer
(c) Isotherm
(d) Isogloss
Question’s Answer: Isogloss
The sounds of a language change over time. English spelling does not always reflect this
change: how was the ‘gh’ in ‘night’ originally pronounced?
(a) Like German ‘ch’ in ‘ich’, but voiced
(b) Like German ‘ch’ in ‘ich’
(c) Like English ‘y’ in ‘yellow’
(d) Like English ‘ch’ in ‘church’
Question’s Answer: Like German ‘ch’ in ‘ich’
Linguistics is combination of_____words?
(a) One
(b) Four
(c) Three
(d) Two
Question’s Answer: Two
To which of these people, language is a means to interpret human experience?
(a) Philosopher
(b) Sociologist
(c) Anthropologist
(d) Students of literature
Question’s Answer: Philosopher
Which of these words are based on the phenomena. Onomatopoeia”?
(a) Door
(b) Book
(c) Cuckoo
(d) Blackboard
Question’s Answer: Cuckoo
Which of these is the study of meaning of words, and the development of the meaning of words?
(a) Morphemics
(b) Phonetics
(c) Syntax
(d) Semantics
Question’s Answer: Semantics
Linguistics is combination of_____words?
(a) One
(b) Four
(c) Three
(d) Two
Question’s Answer: Two
Which of these is not a type of linguistics?
(a) Historical
(b) Comparative
(c) Personal
(d) Synchronic
Question’s Answer: Personal
Which of these finds out how a certain set of people use a language at a given time?
(a) Diachronic Linguistics
(b) Comparative Linguistics
(c) Historical Linguistics
(d) Synchronic Linguistics
Question’s Answer: Synchronic Linguistics
Which of these is not a level of language?
(a) Phonology
(b) Grammar
(c) Semantics
(d) Running
Question’s Answer: Running
Which of these terms refers to the study of speech sounds of a given language and their function within the sound system of that language?
(a) Phonology
(b) Phonetics
(c) Syntax
(d) Morphology
Question’s Answer: Phonology
If a syntactic rule is applied more than once in generating a sentence then this is known as:
(a) Recursion
(b) Transformation
(c) Movement
(d) Complementation
Question’s Answer: Recursion
When the meaning of one form is included in another, the relationship between them is described as:
(a) Antonymy
(b) Synonymy
(c) Polyseny
(d) Hyponomy
Question’s Answer: Hyponomy
The knowledge of the physical context of the speaker is necessary to make sense of t
(a) Presupposition
(b) Deictic expressions
(c) Reference
(d) Entialment
Question’s Answer: Deictic expressions
Which following is a feature of speakers rather than their speech?
(a) Coherence
(b) Cohesion
(c) Entailment
(d) Deictic expressions
Question’s Answer: Coherence
The co-existence of two different.varieties of language in a society which differ in their social status is known as:
(a) Diglossia
(b) Pidginization
(c) Linguistic relativity
(d) Multiculturalism
Question’s Answer: Diglossia
_______refers to the linguistic norm specific to a geographical area, social class or status affecting mutual intelligibility:
(a) Register
(b) Idiolect
(c) Dialect
(d) Slang
Question’s Answer: Dialect
The term Interlanguage refers to:
(a) A language which is a mixture of two languages
(b) A system of rules generated by the speakers of LI who are learning L2
(c) A system of rules designed to be used by the learners of L2
(d) A system of rules used by the speakers of a language
Question’s Answer: A system of rules generated by the speakers of LI who are learning L2
Which following constitutes an Adjacency Pair in Conversation Analysis?
(a) Two similar questions asked in rapid succession
(b) Two linked phases of conversation
(c) An interviewer and interviewee sitting next to each other
(d) A mechanism used to repair an embarrassing mistake
Question’s Answer: Two linked phases of conversation
Which following statement is true of discourse?
(a) Discourse could be found in interview data
(b) Discourse is how language operates in real life communicative events
(c) Discourse is language at a level which is broader than a sentence
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
_____is the totality of the speech habits of an individual:
(a) Idiolect
(b) Dialect
(c) Register
(d) Slang
Question’s Answer: Idiolect
A collection of similar Idiolect make up_____
(a) Register
(b) Idiolects
(c) Dialect
(d) Slang
Question’s Answer: Dialect
The language variety which has certain features which are typical of certain disciplines, topics,
fields, occupations and social roles played by the speaker, is called______
(a) Dialect
(b) Register
(c) Idiolect
(d) Slang
Question’s Answer: Register
_______refers to an individual’s equal and native command of two or more languages:
(a) Bilingualism
(b) Multilingualism
(c) Poly-glotism
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Multilingualism
_______is the study of how the mentally represented grammar of language is employed in the production and comprehension of speech:
(a) Socio-linguistics
(b) Physio-linguistics
(c) Neuron-linguistics
(d) Psycho-linguistics
Question’s Answer: Psycho-linguistics
A person who has the ability to use only one language is called______
(a) Monologue
(b) Monologal
(c) Monolingual
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Monolingual
A who can use two languages is called______
(a) Biolingual
(b) Duo-langual
(c) Duo-lingual
(d) Bilingual
Question’s Answer: Bilingual
A person who can use more than two languages:
(a) Bilingual
(b) Poly-lingual
(c) Multilingual
(d) Poly-langual
Question’s Answer: Multilingual
______is the discipline where the methodological perspectives of both linguistics and sociology converges:
(a) Linguistics of sociology
(b) Sociology of linguistics
(c) Socio-linguistics
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Socio-linguistics
Which among the following does not constitute the scientific nature of linguistics?
(a) Chronological presentation of data
(b) Determination of causal relationship between facts
(c) Systematic gathering and analysis of data
(d) Verification, validation and generalization
Question’s Answer: Chronological presentation of data
Which among the following does not constitute the general methodology of science?
(a) Controlled observation
(b) Hypothesis formulation
(c) Speculation
(d) Analysis, generalization and prediction
Question’s Answer: Speculation
Which among the following is not an aim of linguistics:
(a) To propound stories of the origin of language
(b) To establish a theory of language
(c) To study the nature of language
(d) To describe a language and all languages
Question’s Answer: To propound stories of the origin of language
Which among the following is not a branch of linguistics?
(a) Philology
(b) Morphology
(c) Semantics
(d) Phonology
Question’s Answer: Philology
The study of the way that sequences of words are ordered into phrases,clauses, and sentences is called_____
(a) Syntax
(b) Morphology
(c) Phonology
(d) Semantics
Question’s Answer: Syntax
The study of meaning is called_____
(a) Phonology
(b) Semantics
(c) Syntax
(d) Morphology
Question’s Answer: Semantics
The older term used to designate the study of languages is______
(a) Phonology
(b) Haplology
(c) Philology
(d) Semiology
Question’s Answer: Philology
The study of elementary speech sounds is called______
(a) Syntax
(b) Morphology
(c) Phonology
(d) Semantics
Question’s Answer: Phonology
The study ordering of speech sounds into the smallest meaningful groups is called_____
(a) Phonology
(b) Semantics
(c) Syntax
(d) Morphology
Question’s Answer: Morphology
______is the basis of all sounds in English language and in most languages in Pakistan:
(a) The glotalic air stream mechanism
(b) The pulmonic air stream mechanism
(c) The velaric air stream mechanism
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The pulmonic air stream mechanism
______is a monosyllabic vowel combination of a diphthong and a the weak vowel:
(a) Triaphthong
(b) Triaphone
(c) Triology
(d) Triphthong
Question’s Answer: Triphthong
______are gliding sounds during the articulation of which, the speech organs glide from one vowel position
to another:
(a) Semi-vowels
(b) Triphthongs
(c) Diphthongs
(d) Minimal pairs
Question’s Answer: Semi-vowels
_____are words which differ only in one phoneme:
(a) Diphthongs
(b) Triphthongs
(c) Minimal pairs
(d) Semi-vowels
Question’s Answer: Minimal pairs
Sounds articulated by two lips are called
(a) Dental
(b) Labio-dental
(c) Bilabial
(d) Alveolar
Question’s Answer: Bilabial
Sounds articulated by the lower lip placed against the upper teeth are called
(a) Dental
(b) Bilabial
(c) Alveolar
(d) Labio-dental
Question’s Answer: Labio-dental
____are the different concrete phonetic variation of the same phoneme:
(a) Semi-vowels
(b) Triphthongs
(c) Allophones
(d) Minimal pairs
Question’s Answer: Allophones
_____is a unit of speech which is at a level higher than the speech sound or phoneme:
(a) Stress
(b) Syllable
(c) Intonation
(d) Pitch
Question’s Answer: Syllable
______is the process by which one speech sound gets changed to another under the influence of another:
(a) Onomatopoeia
(b) Regression
(c) Assimilation
(d) Progression
Question’s Answer: Assimilation
IPA stands for:
(a) International political alphabet phonetic
(b) Iran phonetic alphabet
(c) International association
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: International association
articulated by the tip of the tongue placed against the upper teeth are called
(a) Labio-dental
(b) Dental
(c) Bilabial
(d) Alveolar
Question’s Answer: Dental
Sounds articulated with the tip of the tongue or the blade of the tongue against the teeth ridge are called
(a) Dental
(b) Bilabial
(c) Alveolar
(d) Labio-dental
Question’s Answer: Alveolar
_____are produced involving the tip of the tongue and the back part of the teeth ridge:
(a) Palate-alveolar
(b) Post-alveolar
(c) Palatal
(d) Velar
Question’s Answer: Post-alveolar
_____articulated by the tip and the blade of the tongue against the teeth ridge with raising of the front of the tongue towards the palate:
(a) Post-alveolar
(b) Palatal
(c) Palate-alveolar
(d) Velar
Question’s Answer: Palate-alveolar
/f/and /v/ are______.
(a) Dental
(b) Bilabial
(c) Labio-dental
(d) Alveolar
Question’s Answer: Labio-dental
/./d/, /n/, //, /s/ are_______
(a) Alveolar
(b) Post-alvoelar
(c) Palatal
(d) Dental
Question’s Answer: Alveolar
_____are articulated by raising the front of the tongue towards the hard palate: 65.
(a) Post-alveolar
(b) Palate-alveolar
(c) Velar
(d) Palatal
Question’s Answer: Palatal
_____are articulated by raising the back of the tongue towards the soft palate:
(a) Post-alveolar
(b) Palate-alveolar
(c) Velar
(d) Palatal
Question’s Answer: Velar
_____are sounds articulated in the glottis:
(a) Velar
(c) Palatal
(b) Glottal
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Glottal
/p/. /b/, /m/ and /w/ are______
(a) Bilabial
(b) Velar
(c) Dental
(d) Glottal
Question’s Answer: Dental
The initial sounds in the words ‘ship’, ‘church’ and ‘judge; are examples for
(a) Bilabial
(b) Palatal
(c) Velar
(d) Palato-alveolar
Question’s Answer: Palato-alveolar
The initial consonant in Young’ is a______sound:
(a) Velar
(b) Palatal
(c) Dental
(d) Glottal
Question’s Answer: Palatal
/K/and /g/ are examples for______sounds:
(a) Palatal
(b) Glottal
(c) Velar
(d) Bilabial
Question’s Answer: Velar
/h/ in the word ‘he’ is a_______sound:
(a) Velar
(b) Alveolar
(c) Palatal
(d) Glottal
Question’s Answer: Glottal
The two sounds influencing each other and combine to produce a third sound is an instance of assimilation:
(a) Progressive
(b) Regressive
(c) Regressive
(d) Reciprocal
Question’s Answer: Reciprocal
The voiced sound /z/ denoting the plural morpheme in the word “dogs’ is an instance of assimilation:
(a) Regressive
(b) Progressive
(c) Reciprocal
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Progressive
The special features which affect speech sounds such as stress, pitch intonation and juncture are called
(a) Supra-segmental phonemes
(b) Secondary phonemes
(c) Prosodic features
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
Assimilation is mainly of_______types:
(a) Four
(b) Three
(c) Two
(d) Only one
Question’s Answer: Three
The preceding sound influencing the following sound is an instance of________assimilation:
(a) Regressive
(b) Progressive
(c) Reciprocal
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Progressive
The following sound influencing the preceding one is an instance of_______ assimilation:
(a) Progressive
(b) Reciprocal
(c) Regressive
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Regressive
In the pronunciation of the word “ink” the alveolar /n/ becoming a velar sound is an instance of_______
(a) Progressive
(b) Reciprocal
(c) Regressive
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Regressive
The American pronunciation of the word ‘issue’ is an instance of type of assimilation:
(a) Regressive
(b) Progressive
(c) Reciprocal
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Progressive
Which patterns of intonation is used in declarative sentences uttered as ordinary statements?
(a) The fall-rise
(b) The rising
(c) The falling
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The falling
Which patterns of intonation is used in W.H questions?
(a) The fall-rise
(b) The rising
(c) The falling
(d) One of the above
Question’s Answer: The falling
Which patterns of intonation is used in polite requests?
(a) The falling
(b) The rising
(c) The fall-rise
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The rising
Which patterns of intonation, is used in W. H. questions asked in a warm and friendly way
indicating extra politeness?
(a) The falling
(b) The rising
(c) The fall-rise
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The rising
Which patterns of intonation is used in commands:
(a) The rising
(b) The falling
(c) The fall-rise
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The falling
Which patterns of intonation is used in tag questions which imply that the speaker is certain
about what is said:
(a) The rising
(c) The falling
(b) The fall-rise
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The falling
Which patterns of intonation is used in listing the items:
(a) The fall-rise
(b) The rising
(c) The falling
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The falling
Which patterns of intonation is used in declarative sentences uttered as questions?
(a) The falling
(b) The fall-rise
(c) The rising
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The rising
Which patterns of intonation, is used to indicate that the speaker implies things which are not
explicitly expressed?
(a) The falling
(b) The rising
(c) The fall-rise
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The fall-rise
/p/, /b/, //, /d/, /k/, and /g/ are examples for______.
(a) Trill
(b) Affricates
(c) Fricatives
(d) Plosives
Question’s Answer: Plosives
The initial sound in ‘chair’ and ‘jam’ are examples for
(a) Plosives
(b) Trill
(c) Fricatives
(d) Affricates
Question’s Answer: Affricates
How many nasal sounds are there in the English Language?
(a) Two
(b) Five
(c) Four
(d) Three
Question’s Answer: Three
How many nasal sounds are there in the Malayalam language?
(a) Five
(b) Three
(c) Four
(d) Two
Question’s Answer: Five
/s/,/z/ are called
(a) Fricatives
(b) Affricates
(c) Plosives
(d) Trill
Question’s Answer: Fricatives
/f/ and /v/ are called:
(a) Plosives
(b) Affricates
(c) Trill
(d) fricatives
Question’s Answer: fricatives
The consonant /l/ is called_____
(a) Lateral
(b) Sibilant
(c) Nasal
(d) Semi-vowel
Question’s Answer: Lateral
The consonant /s/ is called______
(a) Semi-vowel
(b) Lateral
(c) Nasal
(d) Sibilant
Question’s Answer: Sibilant
/m/ and /n/ are called_____
(b) Lateral
(a) Nasal
(c) Sibilant
(d) Semi-vowel
Question’s Answer: Nasal
The ‘r’ in red is articulated as a
(a) Frictionless continuant
(b) Lateral
(c) Trill
(d) Semi-vowel
Question’s Answer: Trill
Semi-vowels are also known as______.
(a) Sibilants
(b) Lateral
(c) Approximants
(d) Trills
Question’s Answer: Approximants
The consonants /j/ and /w/ are called:
(a) Trills
(b) Laterals
(c) Sibilants
(d) Semi-vowels
Question’s Answer: Semi-vowels
The different concrete phonetic variation of the same phoneme are called_____.
(a) Homographs
(b) Homophones
(c) Allophones
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Allophones
The word ‘bank’ in ‘on the banks on the river’ and ‘banks are financial institutions’ is called a_____
(a) Allophones
(b) Homophones
(c) Homographs
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Homographs
The present-tense form of the verb ‘read’ and its past-tense which is pronounced as ‘red’ is an example of
(a) Allophones
(b) Homophones
(c) Homographs
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Homonyms
The term______is used to designate words which are spelt differently but pronounced alike and which are different in meaning:
(a) Allophones
(b) Homographs
(c) Homophones
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Homophones
Certain morphemes have more than one meaning and can be understood in more than one way. They are called
(a) Allophones
(b) Homophones
(c) Homographs
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Homographs
_____is used to designate words pronounced differently though identically:
(a) Allophones
(b) Homophones
(c) Homographs
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Homonyms
The words denoting the colour ‘red’ and the past-tense of the verb ‘read’; ‘right’ and ‘write’; and ‘site’ and
sight’ are examples for
(a) Allophones
(b) Homophones
(c) Homographs
(d) Homonyms
Question’s Answer: Homophones
Syllables in which the consonant functions as nucleus are called:
(a) Syllabic consonants
(b) Sibilants
(c) Suffixes
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Syllabic consonants
Stress is used for the sake of
(a) Double meaning
(b) Loudness
(c) Emphasis
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Emphasis
How many stressed are generally marked:
(a) Only one
(b) Four
(c) Three
(d) Two
Question’s Answer: Two
The final /1/ in the words ‘bottle’, ‘cattle’ and ‘little’ are examples of
(a) Syllabic consonants
(b) Sibilants
(c) Suffixes
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Syllabic consonants
The final /n/ in the words ‘sudden’ and ‘mutton are_____
(a) Syllabic consonants
(b) Sibilants
(c) Suffixes
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Syllabic consonants
The final /m/ in the word ‘Prism’ is an instance of______.
(a) Syllabic consonants
(b) Sibilants
(c) Suffixes
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Syllabic consonants
_______are also called prosodic features:
(a) Allomorphs
(b) Morphemes
(c) Suprasegmentals
(d) Allophones
Question’s Answer: Suprasegmentals
________is the degree of force with which a sound of syllable is uttered:
(a) Intonation
(b) Pitch
(c) Stress
(d) Juncture
Question’s Answer: Stress
______is the accent on certain words within the a sentence:
(a) Sentence-stress
(b) Syntax
(c) Semantics
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Sentence-stress
________refers to the phenomenon of pauses in speech:
(a) Stress
(b) Juncture
(c) Intonation
(d) Pitch
Question’s Answer: Juncture
______refers to significant changes of pitch and stress pertaining to sentences:
(a) Pitch
(b) Stress
(c) Intonation
(d) Juncture
Question’s Answer: Intonation
The term______refers to omissions of certain sounds, syllables or even words in continuous speech:
(a) Alliteration
(b) Elision
(c) Assonance
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Elision
A minimal meaningful unit in the grammatical system of a language is called______
(a) Morpheme
(b) Phoneme
(c) Syllable
(d) Allomorph
Question’s Answer: Morpheme
The ‘ing’ in sleeping is an example of_______
(a) A free morpheme
(b) Bound morpheme
(c) Free variationw
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Bound morpheme
IPA stands for
(a) Inter National Phonetic Alphabet
(b) International Phonetic Association
(c) Both (a) & (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)
Question’s Answer: Both (a) & (b)
How many types of phonetic transcriptions are generally followed?
(a) Two
(b) Only one
(c) Innumerable
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Two
________is concerned with the selection and organization of speech sounds in a language:
(a) Semantics
(b) Morphology
(c) Phonology
(d) Syntax
Question’s Answer: Phonology
/m/ is a________consonant:
(a) Bilabial
(b) Glottal
(c) Velar
(d) Bilabial-nasal
Question’s Answer: Bilabial-nasal
How many classes of morphemes can be identified in a language?
(a) Only one
(b) Four
(c) Three
(d) Two
Question’s Answer: Two
The form ‘dog’ is a______ morpheme:
(a) A free morpheme
(b) Bound morpheme
(c) Free variation
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: A free morpheme
Morpheme alternants are called_______
(a) Allomorphs
(b) Allophones
(c) Minimal pairs
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Allomorphs
The final consonants /s/, /z/ and /iz/ in the words ‘cats’, ‘dogs’ and ‘boxes are instances of
(a) Allophones
(b) Allomorphs
(c) Minimal pairs
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Allophones
The final sounds /t/. /d/, and /id/ in the words packed, bagged and patted are instances of
(a) Allophones
(b) Allomorphs
(c) Minimal pairs
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Allophones
The ish in the word ‘childish is
(a) An adjective forming morpheme
(b) Plural morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) Past morpheme
Question’s Answer: An adjective forming morpheme
The -s in ‘she sings well is
(a) Morpheme signaling third person singular
(b) Plural morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) An adjective forming morpheme
Question’s Answer: Morpheme signaling third person singular
The shortened forms like photo for photograph is an instance of______
(a) Clipping
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Portmanteau
(d) Metanalysis
Question’s Answer: Clipping
The-s in ‘boys’ is______
(a) An adjective forming morpheme
(b) Plural morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) Past morpheme
Question’s Answer: An adjective forming morpheme
The -s in ‘john’s’ is
(a) An adjective forming morpheme
(b) Plural morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) Past morpheme
Question’s Answer: Plural morpheme
The final /t/ in walked is_______
(a) An adjective forming morpheme
(b) Plural morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) Past morpheme
Question’s Answer: Possessive morpheme
The or in actor is:
(a) An adjective forming morpheme
(b) Noun forming morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) morpheme
Question’s Answer: Noun forming morpheme
The -en in strengthen is a______
(a) An adjective forming morpheme
(b) Verb forming morpheme
(c) Possessive morpheme
(d) Plural morpheme
Question’s Answer: Verb forming morpheme
_______is a method of word formation whereby on or more syllables are removed from longer words.
(a) Portmanteau
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Clipping
(d) Metanalysis
Question’s Answer: Clipping
______is the process by which new words are coined by combining the segments of two different words:
(a) Portmanteau
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Clipping
(d) Metanalysis
Question’s Answer: Portmanteau
______involves a different analysis of the structure of the word by attaching a consonant at the end of a word or a vowel at the beginning of
the next word:
(a) Portmanteau
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Clipping
(d) Met analysis
Question’s Answer: Met analysis
Which among the following terms denotes the formal agreement between various constituent elements of a
language?
(a) Gerund
(b) Concord
(c) Phrase structure
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Concord
The clear // and the dark // may be considered to be the _____of the same phoneme /1/
(a) Allomorphs
(b) Allophones
(c) Morpheme variants
(d) Minimal pairs
Question’s Answer: Allophones
Words which represent the sounds of their referents are called
(a) Portmanteau
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Clipping
(d) Metanalysis
Question’s Answer: Onomatopoeia
The two great linguists who have contributed much to frame the device of Immediate Constituent analysis are:
(a) Leonard Bloomfield & Max- Muller
(b) Leonard Bloomfield & Noam Chomsky
(c) Max-Muller & Herman Gundert
(d) Edward Sapir & Ferdinand de Saussure
Question’s Answer: Leonard Bloomfield & Noam Chomsky
is the device used in modern linguistics for grouping together words and phrases so as to remove ambiguity of construction:
(a) Transformational Generative grammar
(b) Immediate Constituent Analysis
(c) The phrase structure Grammar
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Immediate Constituent Analysis
The theory of Transformational Generative Grammar is contained in_____
(a) Chomsky’s “Syntactic Structures”
(b) Chomsky’s “Aspects of the theory of Syntax”
(c) Leonard Bloomfield’s “Language”
(d) Both (a) & (b)
Question’s Answer: Both (a) & (b)
In transformational Generative Grammar, the ‘Generative’ means:
(a) ‘to produce
(b) ‘to develop
(e) ‘to predict’
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
Which among the following are the main properties of grammar?
(a) To account by its rules for the infinite sentences of a language
(b) To be explicit about the grammaticality of sentences
(c) To predict all and the only possible grammatical sentences of a language
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
In Which words, is the sound /k/ aspirated:
(a) Skit
(c) Skin
(b) Skill
(d) Kill
Question’s Answer: Kill
The /k/ in ‘kill’ and ‘skill’ are______
(a) Allomorphs
(b) Allophones
(c) Morpheme variants
(d) Minimal pairs
Question’s Answer: Allophones
The initial // and the final /1/ in the word ‘little’ are_____
(a) Minimal pairs
(b) Allomorphs
(c) Morpheme variants
(d) Allophones
Question’s Answer: Allophones
The word ‘examination is_____ a word:
(a) Try syllabic
(b) Disyllabic
(c) Monosyllabic
(d) Polysyllabic
Question’s Answer: Monosyllabic
A syllabic division is marked with______
(a) A slash
(b) An arrow mark
(c) A vertical bar
(d) A hyphen
Question’s Answer: A hyphen
The pronunciation of English practised by the educated people at the public schools came to be called
(a) Standard English
(b) Standard pronunciation
(c) Received Pronunciation
(d) Recognized pronunciation
Question’s Answer: Received Pronunciation
Phonemes which effect meaning change in the same linguistic environment are said to be in_____
(a) Non-contrastive distribution
(b) Complementary distribution
(c) Contrastive distribution
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Contrastive distribution
Words with more than three syllables are called______words:
(a) Disyllabic
(b) Multisyllabic
(c) Try syllabic
(d) Polysyllabic
Question’s Answer: Multisyllabic
______is the system of phonetic notation composed of symbols and
letters devised by the International Phonetic Association:
(a) The international phonetic script
(b) The international phonemic script
(c) The international phonetic alphabet
(d) The intelligible phonetic script
Question’s Answer: The international phonetic alphabet
The IPA came into existence in the year______.
(a) 1889
(b) 1989
(c) 1998
(d) 1888
Question’s Answer: 1889
The IPA was established by a group of______
(a) American linguists
(b) Greek phoneticians
(c) Indian philologists
(d) European Phoneticians
Question’s Answer: European Phoneticians
The phonemes which do not occur in the same linguistic environment and which when occur
so, do not bring about a change in meaning are said to be in_______
(a) Contrastive distribution
(b) Complementary distribution
(c) Non-complementary distribution
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Complementary distribution
The substitution of the aspirated /k/for the un-aspirated /k/ in the word ‘sky’ does not alter the meaning of the
word. It is an instance of_______
(a) Non-complementary distribution
(b) Contrastive distribution
(c) Complementary distribution
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Complementary distribution
Which among the following dimensions can the vowels in English be classified:
(a) The part of the tongue that is raised
(b) The position of the lips
(c) The height to which the tongue is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The position of the lips
According to the position of lipsvowels can be divided into______
(a) Tense vowels &lax vowels
(b) Front vowels & back vowels
(c) High vowels & low vowels
(d) Round vowels & unrounded vowels
Question’s Answer: Round vowels & unrounded vowels
The classification of vowels into front vowels, back vowels and center vowels is based on
(a) The part of the tongue that is raised
(b) The position of the lips
(c) The height to which the tongue is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The part of the tongue that is raised
The classification of vowels into high vowels and low vowels is based on_______.
(a) The position of the lips
(b) The part of the tongue that is raised
(c) The height to which the tongue is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The height to which the tongue is raised
According to the part of the tongue that is raised, vowels can be classified into
(a) Front vowels & back vowels
(b) Round vowels & unrounded vowels
(c) High vowels & low vowels
(d) Tense vowels & lax vowels
Question’s Answer: Front vowels & back vowels
According to the height to which the tongue is raised, vowels can be classified into_____
(a) Round vowels & unrounded vowels
(b) Front vowels & back vowels
(c) Tense vowels & lax vowels
(d) High vowels & low vowels
Question’s Answer: High vowels & low vowels
On the basis of the criterion of the state of the tension of the tongue, vowels can be into
(a) Tense vowels &lax vowels
(b) Front vowels & back vowels
(c) High vowels & low vowels
(d) Round vowels & unrounded vowels
Question’s Answer: Tense vowels &lax vowels
The classification of vowels into round vowels and unrounded vowels is based on_____
(a) The part of the tongue that is raised
(b) The position of the lips
(c) The height to which the tongue is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The position of the lips
The classification of vowels into front vowels and back vowels is based on
(a) The position of the lips
(b) The height to which the tongue is raised
(c) The part of the tongue that is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The part of the tongue that is raised
The classification of vowels into tense vowels and lax vowels is based on_______.
(a) The position of the lips
(b) The state of the tension of the tongue
(c) The height to which the tongue is raised
(d) The part of the tongue that is raised
Question’s Answer: The state of the tension of the tongue
The classification of vowels into close. vowels and open vowels is based on_______.
(a) The height to which the tongue is raised
(b) The part of the tongue that is raised
(c) The position of the lips
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The height to which the tongue is raised
The classification of vowels into half-close vowels and half-open vowels is based on_____.
(a) The position of the lips
(b) The height to which the tongue is raised
(c) The part of the tongue that is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The height to which the tongue is raised
The classification of vowels into half-high vowels and half-low vowels is based on_____
(a) The position of the lips
(b) The height to which the tongue is raised
(c) The part of the tongue that is raised
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: The height to which the tongue is raised
Which among the following are bilabial plosive sounds in English?
(a) /t/&/d/
(b) /m/ & /v/
(c) /p/ & /b/
(d) /k/ & /g/
Question’s Answer: /p/ & /b/
The /d/ in ‘middle’ is an instance of______
(a) Incomplete plosion
(b) Alveolar plosion
(c) Nasal plosion
(d) Lateral plosion
Question’s Answer: Lateral plosion
_____is a processes of word formation wherein two or more existing words are simply combined: –
(a) Backformation
(b) Portmanteau
(c) Derivation
(d) Compounding
Question’s Answer: Compounding
Which among the following pairs are Alveolar plosives?
(a) /p/ & /b/
(b) /m/ & /v/
(c) /k/ & /g/
(d) /t/ &/d/
Question’s Answer: /t/ &/d/
Which among the following pairs are Velar plosives?
(a) /k/ & /g/
(b) /m/ & /v/
(c) /t/&/d/
(d) /p/ & /b/
Question’s Answer: /k/ & /g/
The /k/ sound in act’ and ‘picture’ is a_____.
(a) Bilabial plosion
(b) Incomplete plosion.
(c) Nasal plosion
(d) Alveolar plosion
Question’s Answer: Incomplete plosion.
The /p/ in ‘top-most’ is a______
(a) Nasal plosion
(b) Alveolar plosion
(c) Bilabial plosion
(d) Incomplete plosion
Question’s Answer: Nasal plosion
The /t/ in little is an instance of_____
(a) Alveolar plosion
(b) Lateral plosion
(c) Nasal plosion
(d) Incomplete plosion
Question’s Answer: Lateral plosion
______is a processes of word formation wherein new words are coined by combining the segments of two different existing words:
(a) Compounding
(b) Backformation
(c) Derivation
(d) Portmanteau
Question’s Answer: Portmanteau
______is a processes of word formation by which new words are formed by attaching prefixes or suffixes to the base form:
(a) Derivation
(b) Portmanteau
(c) Compounding
(d) Backformation
Question’s Answer: Derivation
_____is a processes of word formation whereby new words are formed by subtracting a root by
deleting final syllable which is misunderstood as a suffix:
(a) Backformation
(b) Portmanteau
(c) Derivation
(d) Compounding
Question’s Answer: Backformation
_____is a processes of word formation wherein one or more syllables are removed from an existing long words:
(a) Compounding
(b) Portmanteau
(c) Clipping
(d) Derivation
Question’s Answer: Clipping
Which among the following is an example for portmanteau?
(a) UNESCO
(b) Smog
(c) Buzz
(d) Edit
Question’s Answer: Smog
Which among the following is an example for onomatopoeia?
(a) Smog
(b) UNESCO
(c) Buzz
(d) Edit
Question’s Answer: Buzz
Words such as ‘smog’ and ‘motel’ are instances of
(a) Compounding
(b) Backformation
(c) Derivation
(d) Portmanteau
Question’s Answer: Portmanteau
Words such as ‘black-leg’ and ‘flash-light’ are instances of
(a) Derivation
(b) Portmanteau
(c) Compounding
(d) Backformation
Question’s Answer: Compounding
Words such as ‘edit’ and ‘house-keep’ are instances of
(a) Compounding
(b) Backformation
(c) Derivation
(d) Portmanteau
Question’s Answer: Backformation
Words such as ‘phone’ and ‘photo’ are instances of
(a) Clipping
(b) Portmanteau
(c) Derivation
(d) Compounding
Question’s Answer: Clipping
Words such as UNESCO and RADAR are instances of______.
(a) Compounding
(b) Conversion
(c) Re-duplicates
(d) Acronym
Question’s Answer: Acronym
Words composed of two or more elements that are identical or slightly different are called_____
(a) Re-duplicates
(b) Acronym
(c) Compounding
(d) Conversion
Question’s Answer: Re-duplicates
Which among the following is an example acronym?
(a) Smog
(b) UNESCO
(c) Buzz
(d) Edit
Question’s Answer: UNESCO
_____is the scientific study of language:
(a) Philology
(b) Phonology
(c) Linguistics
(d) Phonetics
Question’s Answer: Linguistics
Which of Hockett’s (1960) principles can be defined as A small set of phonemes can be
combined and recombined into an infinitely large set of meanings:
(a) Duality of Function
(b) Arbitrariness
(c) Broadcast transmission
(d) Productivity
Question’s Answer: Duality of Function
Which is the smallest unit within a language system?
(a) Syntax
(b) Grapheme
(c) Word
(d) Phoneme
Question’s Answer: Phoneme
Which definitions are consistent with discourse?
(a) The smallest unit in language
(b) Analysis of language beyond the level of the sentence
(c) The meaning of language
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: None of A, B, and C
Which are not aspects of Dell (1986) and Dell and O’Seaghdha’s (1991) theories?
(a) Morphological level
(b) Phonological level
(c) Spreading activation
(d) Semantic level
(e) All of A, B, and C aspects are part of the model.
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C aspects are part of the model
What is the nature of processing in the spreading activation model?
(a) Cascading processing
(b) Parallel processing
(c) Based on heuristics
(d) Dual processing
Question’s Answer: Parallel processing
Which was the first stage of modern psycholinguistics?
(a) cognitive period
(b) Structuralism
(c) Behaviourism
(d) Contemporary linguistics
Question’s Answer: Structuralism
Hermann Paul (1886) argued that the most basic building block of language was Which?
(a) Semantics
(b) Morpheme
(c) Words
(d) Phoneme
Question’s Answer: Words
The term psycholinguistics was first used in which period?
(a) Contemporary linguistic period
(b) Pre-paradigm period
(c) Formative period
(d) Structural period
Question’s Answer: Formative period
Who was the main contributor to the linguistic period?
(a) Gestalt theologians
(b) Bartlett
(c) Wundt
(d) Chomsky
Question’s Answer: Chomsky
Which two names are often associated with the cognitive period of modern linguistics?
(a) Bowlby and Erikson
(b) Fodor and Slobin
(c) Wundt and Cattell
(d) Bartlett and Ainsworth
Question’s Answer: Fodor and Slobin
What is the correct definition of WEAVER++?
(a) It is a diagrammatic representation of language
(b) Word-form Encoding by Activation and Verification model
(c) It is a form of spoken language
(d) It is a form of sign language
Question’s Answer: Word-form Encoding by Activation and Verification model
What is a lemma?
(a) A type of phoneme
(b) The abstract form of a word containing information relating to the meaning of a word
(c) A type of morpheme
(d) A type of semantic
Question’s Answer: The abstract form of a word containing information relating to the meaning of a word
What is the correct name for a physical plan of movement of the vocal tract?
(a) Vocal map
(b) Phototropic map
(c) Lemma
(d) Gestural score
Question’s Answer: Gestural score
Foulke and Sticht (1969) estimated that individuals can understand how many words per minute in a familiar
language?
(a) 150
(b) 350
(c) 300
(d) 250
Question’s Answer: 250
Liberman (1967) argued for which view of speech perception?
(a) The lexeme-lemma view
(b) The modeling perspective
(c) The spreading activation perspective
(d) The special view
Question’s Answer: The special view
To which of these people, language is a means to interpret human experience?
(a) Anthropologist
(b) Sociologist
(c) Students of literature
(d) Philosopher
Question’s Answer: Philosopher
Which of these words are based on the phenomena, ‘Onomatopoeia”?
(a) Blackboard
(b) Book
(c) Door
(d) Cuckoo
Question’s Answer: Cuckoo
The McGurk effect demonstrates that which two processes are not synchronized?
(a) Writing and speaking
(b) Spelling and grammar
(c) Visual and auditory perception
(d) Perceptual processing and attentional
Question’s Answer: Visual and auditory perception
Marslen-Wilson(1984, 1987) proposed Which model?
(a) Connectionist model of written language comprehension
(b) COHORT model of word recognition
(c) TRACE model of speech perception
(d) WEAVER++
Question’s Answer: COHORT model of word recognition
Ellis and Young (1988) proposed Which models?
(a) Trace model
(b) Semantic modelof lexical representation
(c) Dual route model of reading
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Dual route model of reading
The TRACE model incorporates which forms of processing?
(a) A variety of bottom-up and top-down processing
(b) Only schema driven processing
(c) Only sensory processing
(d) Only phonological processing
Question’s Answer: A variety of bottom-up and top-down processing
Which terms are properties identified assigned to the 13 by Hockett (1960)?
(a) Linguistic Universals
(b) Templates
(c) Relative Scripts
(d) Linguistic Nodes
Question’s Answer: Linguistic Universals
Which of these is not a type of linguistics?
(a) Historical
(b) Synchronic
(c) Comparative
(d) Personal
Question’s Answer: Personal
Which of these finds out how a certain set of people use a language at a given time?
(a) Diachronic Linguistics
(b) Comparative Linguistics
(c) Synchronic Linguistics
(d) Historical Linguistics
Question’s Answer: Synchronic Linguistics
Which of these is not a level of language?
(a) Running
(b) Grammar
(c) Phonology
(d) Semantics
Question’s Answer: Running
Which of these terms refers to the study of speech sounds of a given language and their
function within the sound system of that language?
(a) Phonology
(b) Phonetics
(c) Syntax
(d) Morphology
Question’s Answer: Phonology
Which of these is the study of meaning of words, and the development of the meaning of words?
(a) Morphemics
(b) Phonetics
(c) Semantics
(d) Syntax
Question’s Answer: Semantics
Which type of research is likely to make use of non-standardized,adaptable methods of data generation?
(a) Quantitative research
(b) Qualitative research
(c) Mixed research
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Qualitative research
Quantitative research is best described as:
(a) The collection of nonnumeric data
(b) Research that is exploratory
(c) An attempt to confirm the researcher’s hypotheses
(d) Research that attempts generate a new theory to
Question’s Answer: An attempt to confirm the researcher’s hypotheses
Acoustic phonetics is the study of
(a) The production of speech sounds in languages
(b) The physical properties of speech sounds
(c) The generation of speech sounds by robots
(d) The perception of speech sounds by humans
Question’s Answer: The physical properties of speech sounds
Which among the following implies the actual meaningful utterance of the individual speaking or writing a given language?
(a) Language
(b) Parole
(c) Performance
(d) Both parole and performance
Question’s Answer: Both parole and performance
The use of the verb google in the phrase ‘google it’ represents a case of word formation via:
(a) Borrowing
(b) Conversion
(c) Coinage
(d) Derivation
Question’s Answer: Conversion
The bound morpheme er acts as an inflectional morpheme in
(a) Actor
(b) Character
(c) Writer
(d) Quieter
Question’s Answer: Quieter
A hybrid language which develops its own grammar and vocabulary and also acquires the status of the native language of a group of speakers is knows as a:
(a) Pidgin
(b) Creol
(c) Anti-language
(d) Sign language
Question’s Answer: Creol
The most important factor(s) affecting the proceedings of a qualitative research is:
(a) The belief about the nature of the social world
(b) The nature of knowledge and how it can be acquired
(c) The purpose and goals of the research
(d) All of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: All of A, B, and C
An entity which can have different values is known as:
(a) A cause-and-effect relationship
(b) A constant
(c) A variable
(d) A descriptive relationship
Question’s Answer: A variable
Which following best describes a research design?
(a) A way of conducting research that is not grounded in theory
(b) The style in which you present your research findings, e.g. a – graph
(c) The choice between using qualitative or quantitative methods
(d) A framework for every stage of the collection and analysis of data
Question’s Answer: A framework for every stage of the collection and analysis of data
A variable which can affect a change on another variable is known as:
(a) Independent variable
(b) Intervening variable
(c) Categorical variable
(d) Dependent variable
Question’s Answer: Independent variable
Which among the following statements is not true?
(a) Language is a means of communication
(b) Language is symbolic
(c) Language is the only means of communication
(d) Language is structural
Question’s Answer: Language is the only means of communication
Who defined language as “a set or (finite or infinite) sentences, each
finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements”
(a) Edward Sapir
(b) Ferdinand de Saussure
(c) Noam Chomsky
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Noam Chomsky
The theory which Is based upon the assumption that language has been formed from the words uttered by
groups of persons engaged in joint burdensome labour:
(a) The Poo-Pooh theory
(b) The Gesture theory
(c) The Yo-He-Ho Theory
(d) Ding-Dong theory
Question’s Answer: The Yo-He-Ho Theory
The Ding-Dong theory of the origin of language was advanced by:
(a) Wilhelm Wundt and Sir Richard Paget
(b) Max-Muller
(c) Noire
(d) Otto Jepersen
Question’s Answer: Max-Muller
Who defined language as “a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and
desires by means of voluntarily produced symbols”?
(a) Noam Chomsky
(b) Edward Sapir
(c) Ferdinand de Saussure
(d) None of A, B, and C
Question’s Answer: Edward Sapir
Which among the following is not a characteristic feature of language?
(a) Language is instinctive
(b) Language is arbitrary
(c) Language is dynamic
(d) Language is systematic
Question’s Answer: Language is instinctive
The theory which is based on the assumption that language originated as a result of human
instinct to imitate sounds:
(a) The Bow-vow theory
(b) Ding Dong theory
(c) The Pooh-pooh theory
(d) The Gesture theory
Question’s Answer: The Bow-vow theory
The theory which is based on the assumption that language originated in the sense of rhythm innate in man:
(a) The Gesture theory
(b) The Bow-vow theory
(c) The Pooh-pooh theory
(d) Ding Dong theory
Question’s Answer: Ding Dong theory
The theory which is based on the assumption that language originated as a result of the involuntary
exclamations of pain, surprise, pleasure or wonder:
(a) The Pooh-pooh theory
(b) The Bow-vow theory
(c) Ding Dong theory
(d) The Gesture theory
Question’s Answer: The Pooh-pooh theory
The Yo-He-Ho Theory of the origin of language was advanced by:
(a) Noire
(b) Wilhelm Wundt and Sir Richard Paget
(c) Max-Muller
(d) Otto Jepersen
Question’s Answer: Noire
The Musical Theory of the origin of language was advanced by:
(a) Wilhelm Wundt and Sir Richard Paget
(b) Noire
(c) Otto Jespersen
(d) Max-Muller
Question’s Answer: Otto Jespersen
Words like ‘Buzz’, ‘Hiss’, ‘thud’ etc..which represents the sounds of their referents are known as
(a) Homophones
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Homonyms
(d) Portmanteau
Question’s Answer: Onomatopoeia
Find the odd one out
(a) Herman Gundert
(b) Edward Sapir
(c) Leonard Bloomfield
(d) Ferdinand de Saussure
Question’s Answer: Herman Gundert
Which among the following is an exception to the property of arbitrariness of language?
(a) Homophones
(b) Onomatopocia
(c) Homonyms
(d) Portmanteau
Question’s Answer: Onomatopocia
The type of study of the changes in language over a span of time is called______
(a) Synchronic
(b) Onomatopoeic
(c) Semiotic
(d) Diachronic
Question’s Answer: Diachronic
The type of study which focus on the analysis of the systematic interrelation of the elements
of a single language at a particular time is called______
(a) Semiotic
(b) Diachronic
(c) Synchronic
(d) Onomatopoeic
Question’s Answer: Synchronic
Human language is structured at the levels of phonemes and morphemes and at the level
of words. This property of language is called______
(a) Transference
(b) Recursiveness
(c) Displacement
(d) Duality of structure
Question’s Answer: Duality of structure
Using a finite set of rules a speaker can produce innumerable grammatical utterances.
This property of language is called_______
(a) Duality of structure
(b) Transference
(c) Displacement
(d) Recursiveness
Question’s Answer: Recursiveness
Human beings can talk about experiences, objects and events which are not present at
the time and place of speaking. This property of language is called_____
(a) Duality of structure
(b) Displacement
(c) Recursiveness
(d) Transference
Question’s Answer: Displacement
It is possible to write down spoken language and read aloud the written material. This property
of language is called_____
(a) Transference
(b) Recursiveness
(c) Displacement
(d) Duality of structure
Question’s Answer: Transference
Language is never static. It goes on changing. This property of language is called_____
(a) Transference
(b) Recursiveness
(c) Displacement
(d) Dynamic
Question’s Answer: Dynamic
There is no positive relationship between a speech and sound. This property of language is referred to as
(a) Displacement
(b) Recursiveness
(c) Arbitrariness
(d) Transference
Question’s Answer: Arbitrariness
The systematic study of signs is called_____
(a) Semiotics
(b) Semiology
(c) (a) & (b)
(d) Neither (a) not (b)
Question’s Answer: (a) & (b)
The term semiotics was introduced by:
(a) Edward Sapir
(b) Ferdinand de sauddure
(c) Noam Chomsky
(d) Charles Sanders Pierce
Question’s Answer: Charles Sanders Pierce
The term semiology was introduced by:
(a) Charles Sanders Pierce
(b) Edward Sapir
(c) Noam Chomsky
(d) Ferdinand de Saussure
Question’s Answer: Ferdinand de Saussure
The cult of seeing postmodernism as the converse of the ideals of the Enlightenment is opposed by:
(a) Jurgen Habermas
(b) Roland Barthes
(c) Jean-Francois Lyotard
(d) Michel Foucault
Question’s Answer: Jurgen Habermas
Which lived during the Romantic Age in the history of English Literature?
(a) Samuel Richardson
(b) Richard Hooker
(c) Allan Ramsay
(d) John Clare
Question’s Answer: John Clare
Who introduced in linguistics the concept of Langue and Parole?
(a) Ferdinand de Saussure
(b) Charles Sanders Pierce
(c) Noam Chomsky
(d) Edward Sapir
Question’s Answer: Ferdinand de Saussure
Who introduced in linguistics the concept of Competence and Performance?
(a) Charles Sanders Pierce
(b) Ferdinand de Saussure
(c) Edward Sapir
(d) Noam Chomsky
Question’s Answer: Noam Chomsky
Who introduced in linguistics the concept similar to Saussure’s Langue and Parole?
(a) Noam Chomsky
(b) Leonard bloom Filed
(c) Charles Sanders Pierce
(d) Edward Sapir
Question’s Answer: Noam Chomsky
Who introduced in linguistics the concept similar to Chomsky’s compétence and Performance?
(a) Ferdinand De Saussure
(b) Leonard bloom Filed
(c) Charles Sanders Pierce
(d) Edward Sapir
Question’s Answer: Ferdinand De Saussure
Which among the following implies the underlying rules governing the combination and organization of the elements of language?
(a) Language
(b) Parole
(c) langue and Competence
(d) Competence
Question’s Answer: langue and Competence