Language Science

Quiz 1 Review

Linguistic Competence

Hidden knowledge of language

Linguistic Performance

Observable use of language

Phonetics

Knowledge of speech sounds

Phonology

Knowledge of how speech sounds work together as a system

Morphology

Knowledge of how to create new words and break down words into smaller parts that have a particular meaning or function

Syntax

How words combine to form phrases and sentences (grammatical vs ungrammatical)

Semantics

Ability to determine meaning

Pragmatics

Ability to use context to interpret an utterance’s meaning

Lexicon

Mental dictionary of known words

Mental Grammer

Internalized rules for language use acquired naturally through exposure (language variations)

Descriptive Grammer

What speakers actually do

Prescriptive Grammer

What speakers “should” do

Modality

Tells us how a language is produced and perceived (auditory-vocal or visual gesture)

True or False: Signed language derive from spoken language

False

True or False: Signed languages don’t consist of words at all but rather draw pictures in the air

False: Signed languages are governed by phonological, morphological, and syntactic rules just like spoken languages

True or False: Only one signed language is used across all deaf people

False: More than 150 distinct documented signed languages across the world

Where does speech production begin?

Respiratory System (Lungs, Thoracic/Chest cavity, Diaphragm, Trachea/Windpipe)

Where does speech production happen secondly?

Laryngeal System (Larynx/Voicebox, Vocal Folds)

Where does speech production happen last?

Supralaryngeal (Pharynx/Throat, Nasal cavity, Oral cavity, Articulators)

Voicing

Whether or not a consonant sound is produced with a vocal fold vibration

Place

Where a consonant sound is produced

Bilabial Place

A speech sound made by bringing both lips together

Labiodental Place

A speech sound produced by bringing the lower lip into contact with the upper teeth

Interdental Place

A speech sound produced by placing the tip of the tongue between the upper and lower teeth

Alveolar Place

A speech sound produced by placing the tip of the tongue against or near the alveolar bumpy ridge

Post-Alveolar Place

A speech sound made by the tongue touching behind the alveolar ridge

Palatal Place

A speech sound made by the middle of the tongue touching the hard palate

Velar Place

A speech sound made by the back of the tongue touching the soft palate/velum

Glottal Place

A speech sound produced by the vocal cords and the space between them in the throat

What is 1

alveolar ridge

What is 2

Postalveolar region

What is 3

Hard palate

What is 4

Velum

Manner

How a consonant sound is produced

Stops Manner

Two articulators come together to form complete constriction (Bilabial, Alveolar, Velar, Glottal)

Plosives

Air pressure is released when constriction is opened

Fricatives Manner

Two articulators come together to form partial constriction/narrowing in vocal tract (Labiodental, Interdental, Alveolar, Palatal, Glottal)

Affricates Manner

Begins as a stop then releases into a partial blockage (palatal)

Nasals Manner

Airstream obstructed in oral cavity by lowering soft palate (velum) and redirect through the nose (bilabial, alveolar, velar)

Glides Manner

Gliding motion of articulators in motion faster then diphthongs

Liquids Manner

Lateral consonant: air passes over sides of tongue

Parameters: Location

Where a sign is made

Parameters: Movement

Vertical/Horizontal, Starting/ending position

Parameters: Handshape

Finger extension/separation/bending, Thumb position

Parameters: Orientation

Direction the palm is facing

Parameters: Non-manual markers

Gestures while signing not made with hands

Phonotactic Constraints

Restrictions on possible combinations of sounds and which sounds can be used where in a word

Natural Classes

A group of sounds in a language that share one or more articulatory or auditory properties to the exclusion of all other sounds in the language

Natural Class: Sibilants

Sounds made with high-pitched, hissing sound quality /s, ʃ, tʃ, z, ʒ, dʒ/

Natural Class: Labials

Sounds produced at the lips /p, f, b, v, m, w, w̥ /

Natural Class: Obstruents

Stops, Fricatives, Affricative

Natural Class: Sonorants (open airflow and continuous voicing)

Nasals, Glides, Liquids

Natural Class: Labial Obstruents

/p, f, b, v/

Natural Class: Labial Sonorants

/m, w, w̥/

Assimilation

A sound becomes more like its neighnors

Dissimilation

Two close or adjacent sounds become less similar

Metathesis

The order of sounds changes; often to make the word easier to pronounce or understand