Human language has an infinite capacity for generating very efficient messages, a feature called __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Productivity refers to the ability of language to create an infinite number of new sentences by combining words in novel ways, allowing for efficient communication of complex thoughts and ideas. Displacement (A) refers to the ability to discuss things that are not currently present, while mode of communication (B) refers to how language is transmitted (e.g. spoken, written, sign language). Condensation (C) and abundance (D) do not accurately describe the feature of language mentioned in the question.

Human Language Has an Infinite Capacity for Generating Very Efficient