Question 1

What are the smallest units of meaning in a language?
A)words
B)syntax
C)phonemes
D)morphemes

Accepted Answer

Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. They consist of prefixes, suffixes, and root words that carry a distinct meaning. Words are made up of one or more morphemes, and syntax refers to the order of words in a sentence. Phonemes, on the other hand, are the smallest units of sound in a language.

Question 2

Which of the following is a unique property of language that helps to distinguish it from animal communication?
A)Words or symbols can be recombined to create entirely new meanings.
B)Language uses sounds to communicate.
C)Language can be used to pass information between individuals.
D)Language is important for survival.

Accepted Answer

The ability to recombine words or symbols to create new meanings is a unique property of human language that is not seen in animal communication. While both human language and animal communication use sounds and can be used to pass information, the unique ability to recombine existing symbols to create new meanings is what sets language apart. The use of language for survival is also not unique to humans, as animals also have methods of communicating to ensure survival.

Question 3

For most people,brain regions specifically involved in language are located in the _____________.
A)limbic system
B)left hemisphere
C)right hemisphere
D)brainstem

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently shown that the left hemisphere of the brain is primarily responsible for language processing in most individuals. This is known as lateralization of language function, and it is thought to be related to the left hemisphere's specialization for analytical and logical processing. While there can be some involvement of the right hemisphere and other brain regions in language processing, the left hemisphere is the main hub for language-related activities such as speaking, understanding, and even reading.

Question 4

You are learning Russian in preparation for a trip next summer.You have gotten to the point where you can sound out the words written in the Cyrillic alphabet,but you do not understand what any of the words mean.What element of the Russian language will you need to start learning next?
A)syntax
B)phonemes
C)morphemes
D)pragmatics

Accepted Answer

Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language. Since you can sound out words but don't understand their meaning, learning morphemes will help you understand the meaning of the words in Russian.

Question 5

The most basic of units of spoken language are called _________.
A)morphemes
B)phonemes
C)semantics
D)syntax

Accepted Answer

Phonemes are the most basic units of spoken language. They are the smallest distinctive units of sound that can change the meaning of a word. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language, semantics refers to the meaning of words and syntax refers to the rules governing the structure of sentences.

Question 6

Miranda asks her teacher,"Can I go to the bathroom?" to which she replied,"I don't know,can you?" Miranda's teacher was purposely ignoring the ______________ of Miranda's question to make a point about grammar.
A)pragmatics
B)morphemes
C)syntax
D)semantics

Accepted Answer

The answer of Miranda asks her teacher,"Can I go to...

Question 7

Which of the following is a unique property of language that helps to distinguish it from animal communication?
A)Language uses sounds to communicate.
B)Language communicates information about the past and the future.
C)Language can be used to pass information between individuals.
D)Language is important for survival.

Accepted Answer

Animal communication typically only conveys information about the present, whereas human language allows for communication of past and future events. This ability to talk about time in a complex way is a unique property of language.

Question 8

Which of the following is both a single phoneme AND a morpheme?
A)the "th" at the beginning of think
B)the "s" at the end of cats
C)the word mom
D)the "psy" in psychology

Accepted Answer

The "s" at the end of "cats" is both a single phoneme and a morpheme, as it represents the plural form.

Question 9

One interesting property of ___________ is that we usually know when it is not being used correctly,but people often cannot explain exactly why.
A)phonemes
B)morphemes
C)syntax
D)pragmatics

Accepted Answer

The answer of One interesting property of ___________ is that...

Question 10

The rules for combining words and morphemes into meaningful phrases and sentences are called _________.
A)syntax
B)aphasics
C)pragmatics
D)language

Accepted Answer

The rules for combining words and morphemes into meaningful phrases and sentences are known as syntax. Aphasics refer to individuals who have lost the ability to speak fluently due to brain damage, pragmatics deals with the appropriate use of language in social contexts, while language refers to the overall system of communication including vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.

Question 11

The difference between a well-formed and ill-formed sentence usually comes down to _____________.
A)phonemes
B)morphemes
C)pragmatics
D)syntax

Accepted Answer

The syntax of a sentence refers to the set of rules that dictate how words can be combined to form grammatically correct sentences. Therefore, a well-formed sentence follows the rules of syntax, while an ill-formed sentence violates these rules. Phonemes relate to individual speech sounds, morphemes to meaningful units of language, and pragmatics to the context and social rules of language use, all of which can influence the meaning of a sentence but not necessarily its grammaticality.

Question 12

Young children sometimes literally interpret sentences like "Do you know where your mommy is?" by answering "Yes." They failed to understand the ________ of the question.
A)pragmatics
B)morphemes
C)syntax
D)semantics

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics refers to the social context and use of language, including understanding the intent behind a question. In this case, the child did not understand the pragmatic meaning of "Do you know where your mommy is?" and instead answered based on a literal interpretation. Morphemes refer to the smallest units of meaning in language, syntax refers to the rules for forming grammatically correct sentences, and semantics refers to the meaning of words and sentences. While all of these concepts are important in language development, none of them fully explain the child's misunderstanding in this situation.

Question 13

Language is based on basic sound units called ___________,which typically have no meaning by themselves.
A)phonemes
B)morphemes
C)semantics
D)syntax

Accepted Answer

Phonemes are the basic sound units of language that have no meaning on their own, but when combined they create meaningful words. Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning within a word, semantics refers to the meaning of words or phrases, and syntax is the way words are combined to form sentences.

Question 14

Which of the following is the best definition for language?
A)a form of communication involving the use of spoken,written,or gestural symbols that are combined in a rule-based form
B)any set of signals used to communicate information between members of a species
C)a set of words with specific meanings and relationships
D)a bidirectional mapping of sounds and vocalizations to specific objects,ideas,and actions

Accepted Answer

This definition best encompasses the various forms of language and emphasizes the importance of rule-based communication.

Question 15

______________ is the study of nonlinguistic elements of language use.
A)Semantics
B)Aphasia
C)Syntax
D)Pragmatics

Accepted Answer

Pragmatics is the study of how context contributes to meaning in language, as well as the use of language in context. It includes the study of nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and gestures, as well as the social implications of language use. Semantics is the study of meaning in language, aphasia is a language disorder, and syntax is the study of sentence structure.

Question 16

Research has shown that pragmatics is guided by the__________________,which states that pragmatic rules apply to conversation,so entering into a conversation is essentially agreeing to cooperate.
A)tit-for-tat principle
B)principle of mutual benefit
C)cooperative principle
D)principle of flouting

Accepted Answer

The Cooperative principle states that pragmatic rules apply to conversation and entering into a conversation is essentially agreeing to cooperate. This principle was developed by philosopher H. P. Grice, and it includes four maxims: maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relevance, and maxim of manner. The speaker and listener cooperate in following these maxims to have a successful conversation.

Question 17

The ability to communicate information about the past,future,and other locations is a unique property of ___________.
A)aphasia
B)phonemes
C)communication
D)language

Accepted Answer

Language is the only option that encompasses the ability to communicate information about the past, future, and other locations. Aphasia refers to speech or language disorders, phonemes are units of sound in language, and communication is a broader term that may or may not involve language.

Question 18

Lex is in the second grade.As part of a homework assignment,he is asked to write a sentence to describe a picture of a dog playing fetch.Lex writes the sentence,"Ball the dog has." Lex is clearly having trouble with ___________.
A)phonemes
B)morphemes
C)pragmatics
D)syntax

Accepted Answer

Lex's sentence lacks proper syntax, as it is not a grammatically correct sentence. It is missing a verb and does not follow the typical subject-verb-object structure.

Question 19

Greta is an academic who studies how people come to understand meaning from words and how they are arranged.Greta area of study would be described as ___________.
A)semantics
B)aphasia
C)language arts
D)ESL

Accepted Answer

Greta's area of study involves understanding meaning from words and arrangement, which falls under the field of semantics. Aphasia relates to language impairment caused by brain damage; language arts is a broad term that encompasses multiple aspects of language and communication; and ESL stands for English as a Second Language, which does not directly relate to the specific focus of Greta's research.

Question 20

The sounds t,th,and sh are ___________.
A)morphemes
B)phonemes
C)semantics
D)sound bytes

Accepted Answer

The sounds t, th, and sh are individual units of sound or phonemes in spoken language. A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a language, and while t, th, and sh may be part of larger morphemes, they are not morphemes on their own. Semantics refers to the meaning of words or language, and sound bytes is a term used in computing to describe a small amount of data.

Quiz 8: Thought and Language

What are the smallest units of meaning in a language?

Which of the following is a unique property of language that helps to distinguish it from animal communication?

For most people,brain regions specifically involved in language are located in the _____________.

You are learning Russian in preparation for a trip next summer.You have gotten to the point where you can sound out the words written in the Cyrillic alphabet,but you do not understand what any of the words mean.What element of the Russian language will you need to start learning next?

The most basic of units of spoken language are called _________.

Miranda asks her teacher,"Can I go to the bathroom?" to which she replied,"I don't know,can you?" Miranda's teacher was purposely ignoring the ______________ of Miranda's question to make a point about grammar.

Which of the following is a unique property of language that helps to distinguish it from animal communication?

Which of the following is both a single phoneme AND a morpheme?

One interesting property of ___________ is that we usually know when it is not being used correctly,but people often cannot explain exactly why.

The rules for combining words and morphemes into meaningful phrases and sentences are called _________.

The difference between a well-formed and ill-formed sentence usually comes down to _____________.

Young children sometimes literally interpret sentences like "Do you know where your mommy is?" by answering "Yes." They failed to understand the ________ of the question.

Language is based on basic sound units called ___________,which typically have no meaning by themselves.

Which of the following is the best definition for language?

______________ is the study of nonlinguistic elements of language use.

Research has shown that pragmatics is guided by the__________________,which states that pragmatic rules apply to conversation,so entering into a conversation is essentially agreeing to cooperate.

The ability to communicate information about the past,future,and other locations is a unique property of ___________.

Lex is in the second grade.As part of a homework assignment,he is asked to write a sentence to describe a picture of a dog playing fetch.Lex writes the sentence,"Ball the dog has." Lex is clearly having trouble with ___________.

Greta is an academic who studies how people come to understand meaning from words and how they are arranged.Greta area of study would be described as ___________.

The sounds t,th,and sh are ___________.