PSYC SUANDA 1100 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2026.
What does phonology study? - ANS How sounds (and signs) are organized and used in natural
languages.
What does morphology study? - ANS Words, how they are formed, and relationships
between words in a language.
What does syntax study? - ANS The rules for how words combine into phrases and sentences.
What does pragmatics study? - ANS How language is used in context and how speakers
convey intended meaning.
What is the lack of invariance problem in speech perception? - ANS There is no consistent
relation between the physical features of the sounds and how sounds are perceived.
What causes lack of invariance? - ANS Differences across speakers + differences due to
coarticulation (context).
What is the speech segmentation problem? - ANS Speech has no reliable physical boundaries
between words.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is a phoneme? - ANS The smallest unit of sound that changes meaning (e.g., /b/ vs /p/).
What is an allophone? - ANS Different versions of a phoneme that do not change meaning
(e.g., two /k/ sounds in 'Cape' vs 'Cod').
What is meant by the arbitrariness of the sign? - ANS There is no natural connection between
a word's sound and its meaning.
What is onomatopoeia? - ANS a word that phonetically resembles the sound it describes
(e.g., 'buzz').
What is phonesthesia? - ANS Clusters of words that share sound + meaning qualities ('gl-' in
'glitter, glow, gleam').
What is sound symbolism? - ANS The idea that some sounds carry meaning across languages.
What is a morpheme? - ANS The smallest meaningful unit of language.
What are free morphemes? - ANS Morphemes that can stand alone (e.g., dog, run).
What are bound morphemes? - ANS Morphemes that cannot stand alone (e.g., plural -s, past
tense -ed).
What are over-regularization errors? - ANS Children applying grammatical rules too broadly
(e.g., 'goed,' 'foots').
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What does over-regularization reveal? - ANS Children are applying rules, not just repeating
what they hear.
What is recursion in syntax? - ANS Embedding ideas within other ideas to create infinite
sentences.
What is surface structure? - ANS The wording of a sentence.
What is deep structure? - ANS The underlying meaning of a sentence.
Why is 'Colorless green ideas sleep furiously' significant? - ANS Shows syntax exists
independent of meaning; a sentence can be grammatically correct but nonsensical.
What is pragmatics? - ANS How language is used socially to convey intended meaning.
What is a locutionary act? - ANS The literal meaning of what is said.
What is an illocutionary act? - ANS The intended meaning behind the words (e.g., 'Can you
pass the guacamole?' = request).
What is the Nativist theory of language acquisition? - ANS The idea that humans are
biologically equipped with a Language Acquisition Device (LAD).
What evidence supports Nativism? - ANS Specific Language Impairments (genetic), Critical
period for language, Language is uniquely human.
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
AND ANSWERS. VERIFIED 2026.
What does phonology study? - ANS How sounds (and signs) are organized and used in natural
languages.
What does morphology study? - ANS Words, how they are formed, and relationships
between words in a language.
What does syntax study? - ANS The rules for how words combine into phrases and sentences.
What does pragmatics study? - ANS How language is used in context and how speakers
convey intended meaning.
What is the lack of invariance problem in speech perception? - ANS There is no consistent
relation between the physical features of the sounds and how sounds are perceived.
What causes lack of invariance? - ANS Differences across speakers + differences due to
coarticulation (context).
What is the speech segmentation problem? - ANS Speech has no reliable physical boundaries
between words.
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
,What is a phoneme? - ANS The smallest unit of sound that changes meaning (e.g., /b/ vs /p/).
What is an allophone? - ANS Different versions of a phoneme that do not change meaning
(e.g., two /k/ sounds in 'Cape' vs 'Cod').
What is meant by the arbitrariness of the sign? - ANS There is no natural connection between
a word's sound and its meaning.
What is onomatopoeia? - ANS a word that phonetically resembles the sound it describes
(e.g., 'buzz').
What is phonesthesia? - ANS Clusters of words that share sound + meaning qualities ('gl-' in
'glitter, glow, gleam').
What is sound symbolism? - ANS The idea that some sounds carry meaning across languages.
What is a morpheme? - ANS The smallest meaningful unit of language.
What are free morphemes? - ANS Morphemes that can stand alone (e.g., dog, run).
What are bound morphemes? - ANS Morphemes that cannot stand alone (e.g., plural -s, past
tense -ed).
What are over-regularization errors? - ANS Children applying grammatical rules too broadly
(e.g., 'goed,' 'foots').
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
, What does over-regularization reveal? - ANS Children are applying rules, not just repeating
what they hear.
What is recursion in syntax? - ANS Embedding ideas within other ideas to create infinite
sentences.
What is surface structure? - ANS The wording of a sentence.
What is deep structure? - ANS The underlying meaning of a sentence.
Why is 'Colorless green ideas sleep furiously' significant? - ANS Shows syntax exists
independent of meaning; a sentence can be grammatically correct but nonsensical.
What is pragmatics? - ANS How language is used socially to convey intended meaning.
What is a locutionary act? - ANS The literal meaning of what is said.
What is an illocutionary act? - ANS The intended meaning behind the words (e.g., 'Can you
pass the guacamole?' = request).
What is the Nativist theory of language acquisition? - ANS The idea that humans are
biologically equipped with a Language Acquisition Device (LAD).
What evidence supports Nativism? - ANS Specific Language Impairments (genetic), Critical
period for language, Language is uniquely human.
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.
