Linguistics Midterm Exam questions
with verified answers
A linguist is someone who speaks many languages. - correct answer ✔✔ True
The primary goal of linguistics is to teach people how to speak properly. - correct answer ✔✔
False
Linguistics is the systematic study of human language. - correct answer ✔✔ True
One goal of linguistics is to identify how language works from the perspective of people who
speak the language. - correct answer ✔✔ True
Spoken languages change but written languages remain permanently stable. - correct answer
✔✔ False
Cognates are words that look the same in different languages but that have opposite meanings.
- correct answer ✔✔ False
A free morpheme can stand alone as a whole word. - correct answer ✔✔ True
It's very rare for a language to develop new function words (such as prepositions and
pronouns); most new words are in the category of content words. - correct answer ✔✔ True
English is an Indo-European language. - correct answer ✔✔ True
, English has many French words as a result of the Norman Invasion. - correct answer ✔✔ True
In linguistics, ________ is the area of study that covers the inventory of speech sounds in
human languages. - correct answer ✔✔ phonetics
Traditional grammar focuses on ____________________ rules. - correct answer ✔✔
prescriptive
________ refers to the structure of phrases and sentences. - correct answer ✔✔ syntax
Adding a _______ morpheme to a word usually changes the word's category, for example from
a verb to a noun. - correct answer ✔✔ derivational
Linguistics focuses primarily on ________ rules. - correct answer ✔✔ descriptive
A ________ is the smallest meaningful unit of a language. - correct answer ✔✔ morpheme
The study of the patterning of speech sounds in a particular language is _________, - correct
answer ✔✔ phonology
In linguistics, __________ is defined as a graphic representation of language. - correct answer
✔✔ writing
We can use language to reflect on and think about language. - correct answer ✔✔ reflexivity
Language is organized into at least two levels, where one level includes smaller units that can
combine to form from larger units at another level. - correct answer ✔✔ duality
with verified answers
A linguist is someone who speaks many languages. - correct answer ✔✔ True
The primary goal of linguistics is to teach people how to speak properly. - correct answer ✔✔
False
Linguistics is the systematic study of human language. - correct answer ✔✔ True
One goal of linguistics is to identify how language works from the perspective of people who
speak the language. - correct answer ✔✔ True
Spoken languages change but written languages remain permanently stable. - correct answer
✔✔ False
Cognates are words that look the same in different languages but that have opposite meanings.
- correct answer ✔✔ False
A free morpheme can stand alone as a whole word. - correct answer ✔✔ True
It's very rare for a language to develop new function words (such as prepositions and
pronouns); most new words are in the category of content words. - correct answer ✔✔ True
English is an Indo-European language. - correct answer ✔✔ True
, English has many French words as a result of the Norman Invasion. - correct answer ✔✔ True
In linguistics, ________ is the area of study that covers the inventory of speech sounds in
human languages. - correct answer ✔✔ phonetics
Traditional grammar focuses on ____________________ rules. - correct answer ✔✔
prescriptive
________ refers to the structure of phrases and sentences. - correct answer ✔✔ syntax
Adding a _______ morpheme to a word usually changes the word's category, for example from
a verb to a noun. - correct answer ✔✔ derivational
Linguistics focuses primarily on ________ rules. - correct answer ✔✔ descriptive
A ________ is the smallest meaningful unit of a language. - correct answer ✔✔ morpheme
The study of the patterning of speech sounds in a particular language is _________, - correct
answer ✔✔ phonology
In linguistics, __________ is defined as a graphic representation of language. - correct answer
✔✔ writing
We can use language to reflect on and think about language. - correct answer ✔✔ reflexivity
Language is organized into at least two levels, where one level includes smaller units that can
combine to form from larger units at another level. - correct answer ✔✔ duality
