Introductory Linguistics Concepts

14 question-and-answer flashcards covering key linguistics terms, from syntax to prescriptive grammar.

What does Syntax study in linguistics?

The structure of sentences and how words are combined into phrases and sentences.

In syntax, what are Constituents?

Groups of words that function as a unit within a sentence, such as noun phrases or verb phrases.

What is Morphology concerned with?

The structure of words and the rules governing word formation.

Define Morpheme.

The smallest meaningful unit in a language, e.g., "un-", "happy", "-ness".

What is Affixation?

The process of adding prefixes or suffixes to a base word, as in "unhappy" or "happiness".

What is Inflection in morphology?

Changing the form of a word to express grammatical features such as tense or number, e.g., "walk" → "walks".

What does Derivation involve in word formation?

Creating a new word by adding a morpheme, such as turning "happy" into "unhappy".

What does Phonetics study?

The physical production and perception of speech sounds.

What is the focus of Phonology?

How speech sounds function within a language to encode meaning.

What field of linguistics studies meaning in language?

Semantics.

What is an Anomaly in semantics?

A sentence that is syntactically correct but semantically nonsensical.

How is Ambiguity defined in linguistics?

The capacity of a sentence or word to have more than one meaning, either lexical or syntactic.

What does Descriptive Grammar aim to do?

Describe how language is actually used by speakers.

What is the purpose of Prescriptive Grammar?

To provide rules for how language should be used according to formal standards.