语言学试题

I. Decide whether each of the following statements is True or False:

1. Linguistics is generally defined as the scientific study of language.

2. Linguistics studies particular language, not languages in general.

3. A scientific study of language is based on what the linguist thinks.

4. In the study of linguistics, hypotheses formed should be based on language facts

and checked against the observed facts.

5. General linguistics is generally the study of language as a whole.

6. General linguistics, which relates itself to the research of other areas, studies the

basic concepts, theories, descriptions, models and methods applicable in any linguistic study.

7. Phonetics is different from phonology in that the latter studies the combinations of the sounds to convey meaning in communication.

8. Morphology studies how words can be formed to produce meaningful sentences.

9. The study of the ways in which morphemes can be combined to form words is called morphology.

10. Syntax is different from morphology in that the former not only studies the

morphemes, but also the combination of morphemes into words and words into sentences.

11. The study of meaning in language is known as semantics.

12. Both semantics and pragmatics study meanings.

13. Pragmatics is different from semantics in that pragmatics studies meaning not in

isolation, but in context.

14. Social changes can often bring about language changes.

15. Sociolinguistics is the study of language in relation to society.

16. Modern linguistics is mostly prescriptive, but sometimes descriptive.

17. Modern linguistics is different from traditional grammar.

18. A diachronic study of language is the description of language at some point in

time.

19. Modern linguistics regards the written language as primary, not the spoken

language.

20. The distinction between competence and performance was proposed by F. de

Saussure.

21. Chomsky studies language more from the functional point of view.

22. Communicative Competence was proposed by Dell Hymes, based on Chomsky’s

Competence.

23. According to F. de Saussure, parole is more or less accidental and accessory.

24. Synchronic linguistics studies language through the course of its history.

25. Noam Chomsky is the father of modern linguistics.

26. F. de Saussure wrote Course in General Linguistics when he was lecturing in the

University of Geneva.

27. According to Saussure, the sound-image is the sound representation of a linguistic

sign.

28. The linear nature of the signifier is represented by the spatial line of graphic marks

in writing.

29. Verbal dueling represents the recreational function of language.

30. Different cultures have different topics of phatic communication.

II. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter given:

31.Chomsky defines “competence” as the ideal user’s k__________ of the rules of

his language.

32. Langue refers to the a__________ linguistic system shared by all the members of

a speech community while the parole is the concrete use of the conventions and

application of the rules.

33. D_________ is one of the design features of human language which refers to the

phenomenon that language consists of two levels: a lower level of meaningless individual sounds and a higher level of meaningful units.

34. Language is a system of a_________ vocal symbols used for human

communication.

35. The discipline that studies the rules governing the formation of words into

permissible sentences in languages is called s________.