Question 1

Scientists who study language are called
A) psychologists.
B) behaviorists.
C) linguists.
D) analysts.

Accepted Answer

Linguists are the scientists who study language.

Question 2

Phonemes are
A) words in a language that sound alike.
B) basic speech sounds that make up languages.
C) rules for constructing phrases and sentences in a language.
D) strings of words that are put together to form a sentence.

Accepted Answer

Phonemes are the basic speech sounds that make up languages. They are the smallest units of sound that have meaning within a particular language. A phoneme can change the meaning of a word, such as the difference between "bat" and "bet" in English, which differ by only one phoneme.

Question 3

English language units like "-ing" and "-ed" are considered morphemes because they
A) change the meanings of words when used as suffixes.
B) are used differently than other common suffixes.
C) change words in subtle and gradual ways.
D) are used in sentences to meet certain rules of grammar.

Accepted Answer

Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. The suffixes "-ing" and "-ed" change the meaning of words when added to their base forms, such as "walk" to "walking" and "cook" to "cooked." Thus, they are considered morphemes.

Question 4

Today your speech will include sentences that you have never exactly uttered before. This illustrates the _______ capacity of language.
A) telegraphic
B) heuristic
C) dyslexic
D) generative

Accepted Answer

The generative capacity of language refers to the ability to create new sentences and express new ideas using the rules and structure of a given language. This is what allows speakers to produce sentences they have never exactly uttered before, making option D the best choice. The other options are not related to this concept: telegraphic refers to concise and stripped-down language, heuristic refers to problem-solving strategies, and dyslexic refers to a specific reading disorder.

Question 5

Linguists like Noam Chomsky distinguish between the specific words that are put together in a sentence, called the _______, and the meaning underlying those words, called the _______.
A) semantics; syntax
B) deep structure; surface structure
C) phonemes; morphemes
D) surface structure; deep structure

Accepted Answer

The correct terms are "surface structure" for the specific words in a sentence and "deep structure" for the underlying meaning of those words, according to Chomsky's theories.

Question 6

Which of the following statements draws the most accurate conclusion about the difference between human and nonhuman animal communication?
A) Other animals, most notably birds, use complex generative systems for producing new forms of communication.
B) Though members of other species communicate with each other, and some can understand human language, humans use the most complex systems of communication.
C) Human languages are far less complex than the signals that some animals, such as dolphins, use to communicate.
D) Given adequate training, nonhuman primates can learn to use human sign language better than humans can.

Accepted Answer

While other animals do use complex systems of communication, humans use the most intricate and varied systems. Additionally, it is not accurate to say that human languages are less complex than the signals of some animals or that primates can use human sign language better than humans.

Question 7

Which of the following animals was able to learn about 150 English words and could speak short English phrases?
A) Kanzi, the bonobo
B) Clever Hans, the horse
C) Premack, the porpoise
D) Alex, the African gray parrot

Accepted Answer

Alex, the African gray parrot, was able to learn about 150 English words and could speak short English phrases. Kanzi, the bonobo, was able to understand and communicate with humans through the use of symbols and gestures, but not through spoken language. Clever Hans, the horse, was able to perform arithmetic and answer specific questions through subtle cues given by his handler, but did not possess language abilities. Premack, the porpoise, was able to communicate through the use of a complex artificial language, but did not learn or use English words or phrases.

Question 8

Babies string meaningless sounds-like "da"-together over and over again. Linguists call this
A) telegraphic speech.
B) phoning.
C) babbling.
D) aphasia.

Accepted Answer

This is known as babbling, as babies are experimenting with making sounds and practicing the sounds of speech.

Question 9

Telegraphic speech is a linguistic term used to describe
A) the speech of bilingual adults.
B) a communication form in young children in which they use only a few words, or even a single word, to express an idea.
C) the way children repeat nonsensical sounds over and over again before they are 12 months old.
D) the hypothesis of linguistic relativism.

Accepted Answer

Telegraphic speech refers to the early language of young children in which they use only a few words, or even a single word, to express a complete idea or thought. This is commonly observed in children between the ages of 18 months to 2 years, before their language skills start to develop further.

Question 10

Imagine you have a sibling, Henry, who is two years old. When he is thirsty, he says "Henry milk." This is an example of
A) babbling.
B) linguistic relativism.
C) overgeneralization.
D) telegraphic speech.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of telegraphic speech, where a child uses short, concise phrases to convey their meaning. In this case, "Henry milk" communicates the desire for milk in a simple manner.

Question 11

Refer to the table below.
 The table provides details on some of the typical stages of language development. What can you conclude from the table?
A) Children generally learn to say about ten new words a day between two and three years of age.
B) Children who are between two and three years of age generally understand more words than they are able to speak.
C) Between two and three years of age, children can only speak in one-word utterances.
D) By the time a child is three years old, he or she can follow a series of three directions.

Accepted Answer

The table shows that between two and three years of age, children's receptive vocabulary (words they understand) is about twice as large as their expressive vocabulary (words they can say). This means that they understand more words than they can speak, supporting option B. Option A is not explicitly stated in the table, as the rate of word learning can vary among children. Option C is contradicted by the table, which shows that children at this age are able to use two-word phrases. Option D is not addressed in the table.

Question 12

Refer to the graphs below.
 The figure shows data from an infant who sucked on a pacifier in order to hear sounds. By comparing graphs B and C, determine which of the following conclusions is supported.
A) The infant can easily tell the difference between any two phonemes.
B) When the infant hears an unfamiliar phoneme, his or her rate of sucking instantly decreases.
C) The less similar two phonemes are, the more likely the infant is to notice a change in sound between the phoneme that is presented first and the phoneme that is presented second.
D) When the infant hears the same phoneme over and over again, his or her rate of sucking increases gradually.

Accepted Answer

Graph B shows the rate of sucking in response to a familiar phoneme and a different, unfamiliar phoneme. Graph C shows the rate of sucking in response to two different, but still familiar, phonemes. The fact that there is a larger decrease in sucking rate in response to the unfamiliar phoneme compared to the similar, but still different, familiar phoneme supports the conclusion that the less similar two phonemes are, the more likely the infant is to notice a change in sound between them.

Question 13

Motherese is a
A) language spoken only by women.
B) type of speech with slow, exaggerated pronunciation that parents use with babies.
C) simple form of language that parents teach to their children.
D) term used to describe the attachment bond between mother and infant.

Accepted Answer

Motherese is a type of speech with slow, exaggerated pronunciation that parents use with babies. It is also known as parentese or baby talk.

Question 14

What makes motherese appealing to babies?
A) Every sound a mother makes strengthens her connection with her baby.
B) The singsong qualities of motherese communicate positive emotion and reward.
C) Babies create sounds, and motherese reinforces their attempts at language.
D) The simple language of motherese is easier to comprehend than fully developed words and sentences.

Accepted Answer

The singsong qualities of motherese communicate positive emotion and reward, making it appealing to babies.

Question 15

The fact that people with Williams syndrome have normal verbal abilities but severe deficits in spatial reasoning suggests that
A) language is directly related to all other aspects of cognition, and we cannot master one without the other.
B) the human brain may be specialized to pick up languages in a way that is distinct from solving other tasks.
C) as concepts, intelligence and language are one in the same.
D) spatial skills are closely related to language skills.

Accepted Answer

The fact that people with Williams syndrome have normal verbal abilities but severe deficits in spatial reasoning suggests that language and spatial reasoning are separate cognitive abilities and that the human brain may have specialized regions for processing language that do not overlap with regions responsible for spatial reasoning.

Question 16

The rare genetic disorder that is characterized by normal verbal abilities but severe deficits in spatial reasoning is called
A) Wernicke's aphasia.
B) Huntington's disease.
C) Williams syndrome.
D) Parkinson's disease.

Accepted Answer

Williams syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is characterized by normal verbal abilities but severe deficits in spatial reasoning. Individuals with Williams syndrome typically have a distinctive facial appearance, heart problems, and intellectual disability.

Question 17

One of the best sources of evidence that there is a sensitive period for human language development is that
A) humans always develop language skills, no matter what linguistic environment they are in.
B) it can be very difficult for adults who are learning a second language to become proficient in the grammar of that language.
C) it is nearly impossible for children to master two languages before the age of ten.
D) the later one starts learning a language, the better he or she is at mastering the phonemes in the new language.

Accepted Answer

The fact that adults often struggle to learn a second language proficiently suggests that there is a sensitive period for language development that ends in childhood. If this were not the case, adults would be able to learn languages as easily as children, which is not typically the case. Additionally, the fact that children are often able to learn multiple languages simultaneously (before the age of ten) suggests that there is a specific window of time during which language acquisition is particularly effective. Both of these observations support the idea of a sensitive period for language development.

Question 18

Dyslexia is defined as difficulty in
A) writing long sentences with words that sound similar to one another.
B) constructing grammatical sentences while speaking.
C) developing a normal vocabulary.
D) learning to read.

Accepted Answer

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that primarily affects the ability to read accurately and fluently.

Question 19

Aphasia, which is often the result of brain injury or disease, is a term that refers to
A) a language impairment that occurs after language is acquired.
B) the inability to learn language at a reasonable rate.
C) impairments in reading that last into adulthood.
D) the inability to speak a second language without an accent.

Accepted Answer

Aphasia refers to a language impairment that occurs after language is acquired, usually as a result of brain injury or disease. It can affect a person's ability to speak, understand, read, and write.

Question 20

The case of the patient Tan is significant to the history of psychology and neurology because the case provides evidence that
A) language is processed by both hemispheres of the brain.
B) no specific brain area could be identified as playing a role in specific language skills.
C) only a small portion of language processing occurs in the cerebral cortex.
D) there may be a direct correspondence between a specific part of the brain and specific language skills.

Accepted Answer

The case of patient Tan, who suffered from Broca's aphasia, suggested that there may be a direct correspondence between a specific part of the brain (i.e., Broca's area) and specific language skills (i.e., speech production). This provided important evidence for the localization of brain function, which became a foundational principle in the fields of psychology and neurology.

Quiz 10: Language and Cognition

Scientists who study language are called

Phonemes are

English language units like "-ing" and "-ed" are considered morphemes because they

Today your speech will include sentences that you have never exactly uttered before. This illustrates the _______ capacity of language.

Linguists like Noam Chomsky distinguish between the specific words that are put together in a sentence, called the _, and the meaning underlying those words, called the _.

Which of the following statements draws the most accurate conclusion about the difference between human and nonhuman animal communication?

Which of the following animals was able to learn about 150 English words and could speak short English phrases?

Babies string meaningless sounds-like "da"-together over and over again. Linguists call this

Telegraphic speech is a linguistic term used to describe

Imagine you have a sibling, Henry, who is two years old. When he is thirsty, he says "Henry milk." This is an example of

Refer to the table below. The table provides details on some of the typical stages of language development. What can you conclude from the table?

Refer to the graphs below. The figure shows data from an infant who sucked on a pacifier in order to hear sounds. By comparing graphs B and C, determine which of the following conclusions is supported.

Motherese is a

What makes motherese appealing to babies?

The fact that people with Williams syndrome have normal verbal abilities but severe deficits in spatial reasoning suggests that

The rare genetic disorder that is characterized by normal verbal abilities but severe deficits in spatial reasoning is called

One of the best sources of evidence that there is a sensitive period for human language development is that

Dyslexia is defined as difficulty in

Aphasia, which is often the result of brain injury or disease, is a term that refers to

The case of the patient Tan is significant to the history of psychology and neurology because the case provides evidence that